Free speech nonprofit says US to end efforts to curb Facebook group and app reporting ICE activity

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Free speech group FIRE said on Friday the US government agreed to end efforts to press Apple AAPL.O and Facebook META.O to restrict platforms created by two Americans reporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

FIRE sued the federal departments of Justice and Homeland Security in February.

It alleged that Facebook's disabling of plaintiff Kae Rosado's group, "ICE Sightings – Chicagoland," in response to demands by federal officials had violated Rosado's free speech rights.

The suit alleged the same violation over Apple's removal of Eyes Up, an app created by plaintiff Mark Hodges for sharing videos of ICE operations, under government pressure.

The DOJ and DHS, whose top officials were the defendants in the lawsuit, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

As part of an agreement with FIRE to resolve the case, the free speech group said the government agreed to make permanent the preliminary injunction the court previously entered in favor of the plaintiffs.

An order by US District Judge Jorge Alonso said the federal government "shall take no actions, formal or informal, to demand or pressure" Facebook and Apple to suppress the "ICE Sightings – Chicagoland" Facebook group and the Eyes Up app.

ICE, which is part of DHS, has been the face of Republican President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and deportation drive that rights groups say has violated free speech and due process rights.

Human rights groups also say the crackdown has created an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities, who have raised concerns about racial profiling.

Trump says his actions aim to improve domestic security. Democrats, who won majorities in both chambers of Congress in the US midterm elections, say they aim to hold the Trump administration accountable for its immigration policies.