A Department of Justice staffer lost her job after her husband’s app stirred up a hornet’s nest by helping unauthorized migrants dodge ICE agents. Carolyn Feinstein, a forensic accountant with nearly a decade at the DOJ, claims she was unfairly targeted for her husband’s activism. But the DOJ says her financial stake in the app’s parent company crossed a line, as the Daily Mail reports.
Feinstein’s husband, Joshua Aaron, created the ICEBlock app, which alerts users to ICE agents within a five-mile radius. The app, downloaded nearly a million times, has become a lightning rod for controversy. It’s no surprise that an app designed to thwart law enforcement would raise eyebrows.
Aaron’s public defense of ICEBlock on CNN in June didn’t help matters. He compared the Trump administration’s immigration policies to Nazi purges, a hyperbolic jab that predictably drew fire from MAGA supporters online. His rhetoric, while bold, only fueled the outrage against his wife’s employment.
Feinstein, sensing trouble, informed her DOJ supervisors about her marriage to Aaron after death threats rolled in in the wake of a recent CNN interview. She clarified that she had no direct role in ICEBlock, merely being the creator’s spouse. Yet, the DOJ wasn’t convinced her hands were clean.
“I informed them I really didn’t have any relationship or involvement in the app,” Feinstein told the Daily Beast. That claim fell apart when the DOJ discovered her financial interest in All U Chart Inc., the company behind ICEBlock. Her explanation? It was just a precaution in case Aaron became incapacitated.
The DOJ’s investigation into Feinstein’s ties to the app intensified after public outcry. Border czar Tom Homan, no fan of ICEBlock, called it a tool for criminals on NewsMax. His blunt assessment -- “All [Aaron is] doing is giving a heads up to criminals”—put Feinstein squarely in the crosshairs.
Within 24 hours of Homan’s NewsMax appearance, Feinstein received her termination notice. The DOJ’s swift action suggests they saw her as a liability, not a victim. Her claim of “retribution” for her husband’s activism doesn’t quite hold water when her financial stake is considered.
“This was retribution,” Feinstein insisted to the Daily Beast. But the DOJ counters that ICEBlock endangers ICE officers by helping unauthorized migrants evade capture. Feinstein’s minority shareholder status in All U Chart Inc. gave the department ample reason to question her loyalty.
“It is insulting to me because I dedicated myself to serving the people of the United States,” Feinstein said. Yet, her financial ties to a company profiting from an app that undermines federal law enforcement undercuts her righteous indignation. The DOJ’s stance is clear: no one gets a pass for aiding illegal activities, even indirectly.
Aaron, undeterred by the backlash, doubled down on his activism. “We will not be intimidated,” he told the Daily Beast, framing ICEBlock as a stand against unconstitutional quotas. His “no human is illegal” mantra may resonate with progressive crowds, but it’s a tough sell when ICE agents’ safety is at stake.
The DOJ didn’t mince words, calling ICEBlock a direct threat to law enforcement. “The department will not tolerate threats against law enforcement officers,” a spokesperson told the Daily Beast. Aaron’s app, while clever, treads a dangerous line by prioritizing ideology over officer safety.
Aaron’s CNN interview painted a stark picture of his motives. “When I saw what was happening in this country, I wanted to fight back,” he said. His fight, however, has real-world consequences, including costing his wife her career.
“We’re literally watching history repeat itself,” Aaron claimed on CNN, invoking Nazi comparisons that do little to calm the waters. Such inflammatory rhetoric only deepens the divide, making it harder for Feinstein to claim innocence by association. Her termination feels less like retribution and more like accountability.
ICE acting director Tom Lyon joined Homan in demanding a DOJ probe into ICEBlock. The app’s near-million downloads show its reach, but also its potential to disrupt lawful immigration enforcement. Feinstein’s financial stake, however minor, ties her to that disruption.
The DOJ’s decision to fire Feinstein reflects a broader stand against conflicts of interest. While she and Aaron cry foul, the evidence suggests her dismissal was less about her husband’s activism and more about her questionable financial ties. In a time when trust in institutions is shaky, the DOJ’s move sends a clear message: loyalty to the law comes first.
