Apple could face a congressional investigation from the incoming Democratic majority over its hosting of tracking apps used by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its $25 million donation to President Trump’s ballroom project, first reported by Reuters.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, incoming chair of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, has called on Apple to turn over records related to the donation and the removal of the ICEBlock app from the App Store, threatening possible subpoenas in January. Apple and Nvidia each donated $25 million to the ballroom project, making them two of its largest donors.
Apple removed ICEBlock and similar apps last year after pressure from the Department of Justice, citing safety concerns for federal agents following a shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas that killed two detainees. Since then, Democratic lawmakers have questioned Apple about the extent of the Trump administration’s involvement and whether the removal violated free speech protections.
It remains unclear whether formal investigations will be launched and what specific scope they would cover. Apple has not responded to requests for comment from Reuters or 9to5Mac.