Some migrants in the U.S. are relying on apps to tell them where Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents are to avoid arrest. CBS News correspondent Lilia Luciano has more details.

Pennsylvania

Migrants in the United States are increasingly using mobile applications, such as Koki, to receive alerts about nearby Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity. These apps function similarly to navigation tools, allowing users to anonymously report and view ICE sightings in real time. Developers say the primary goal is to help migrants avoid encounters with ICE, not to target agents.

ICE officials have raised concerns that these apps could potentially endanger agents by facilitating targeting or ambushes, noting a significant increase in reported assaults against agents. The issue has also highlighted broader concerns about agent anonymity, the use of masks, and the potential for impersonation, prompting lawmakers to consider new regulations to ensure accountability and public trust.

Why some apps are tracking immigration agents

Some migrants here in the U.S. are relying on apps to tell them where immigration and customs enforcement agents are in an effort to avoid arrest. Koki is one of several apps that have been developed to alert people to nearby ICE activity. An ICE deputy director of Madison Sheehan told CBS News that those apps are potentially dangerous because they could be used to target ICE agents. However, she did acknowledge that some of the information on those apps could be protected by the First Amendment. For more on this, let's bring in CBS News correspondent Lilia Luciano. And Lilia, it's so good to see you. Can we talk about how these apps work? Who is developing these apps? Well, there's various people who have developed these apps. At least this one, the Koki app, I interviewed the founder. He says the reason he founded, he started and created the app is because some of his workers weren't getting to work. They were afraid. Also, there's an element of compassion. This app, Koki, works very similar to say Waze or Google Maps where it's users, you know, people, their information is anonymous. He says he doesn't use the information from the people who are submitting these sightings. But how it works is somebody sees ICE doing an arrest or a raid and then they can add that information to the app and other people can see it. The whole point, even though ICE says that they worry that it's just a matter of time before the apps are used to target and ambush agents and potentially hurt agents, that the whole point of creating these apps, what the founders say, is, look, it's to avoid ICE, not to target them. Well, on that point, as you well know, clashes between protesters and ICE agents have really seemed to escalate in the past few weeks. Is this what immigration officials are worried about with the growing popularity of these types of apps? That's exactly what they say they're worried about. In fact, they've put out some data. I asked ICE specifically because they came out with some reports saying that, you know, there was first a 500 percent increase, and now they said 700 percent increase. When they compare the same period from last year, end of January to end of June, they said there were 10 documented assaults or attacks against agents. Now the number for the same period this year went up to 79. Of course, you also have to take into consideration that there has been a massive increase in arrests. So perhaps there's more proportionality there. But I think, you know, a lot of people are wondering, are there attacks because people are in fear, because they feel intimidated? There has been a massive issue and concern in many communities over the masking of agents. So I asked the deputy director that question as well. This is what she said. There is huge concern that ICE could turn into a sort of secret police, where agents are masked without showing their badges. People don't know who these people who are grabbing people off the streets are. Why is that? Why are they wearing masks? They're wearing masks because they're protecting themselves and their families. What's happening is nationwide, we're seeing this huge effort with the rhetoric coming out of even elected officials that ICE is causing harm to the communities. And what we're doing is enforcing immigration laws. How can the public trust them if they don't know who they are and they don't see their faces and they don't see their names? Absolutely. And that's where that branding comes in on all of our vests as our officers are out working, making sure that we're displaying the HSI logos, the ERO logos, as well as the ICE logos. And we'll continue to do that, making sure our officers are doing that. Look, we've seen examples where they're not wearing clear badges, where they don't have their numbers. And I think the bigger concern is accountability. If there is brutality involved, how do you know who that agent was or for which agency they work? There are laws that prevent masking and that require that other law enforcement agencies show their badge number, have to have their face visible, including here in New York. Something that you have to verify. You have to verify that. And now with ICE, it seems like because there's no law preventing it, they seem to have that privilege and there is a serious concern of also impersonators. It has happened before. It happened in Brooklyn, close to where we live, where somebody tried to attack a woman pretending to be an ICE agent. So that's something that is right now in the minds and in the work of lawmakers across the country who are trying to prevent the masking. Lilia, thank you so much for staying on top of all this as you do. Thank you.

The Senate approved a $9.4 billion rescissions request, sending it back to the House of Representatives for approval.

Washington

Senate approves spending cuts to foreign aid, public broadcasting

Israel has faced international condemnation over its three days of airstrikes in Syria. The European Union and the United Nations have called for a return to calm, while Iran has urged countries in the region to respond against Israel.

Damascus

Middle East Conflict

World reacts to Israeli attacks on Syria’s Damascus

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz makes his first state visit to the United Kingdom to sign a historic defence cooperation treaty—the first of its kind between Germany and Britain since the Second World War. The agreement includes plans for joint defence efforts, boosting economic collaboration, and tackling illegal migration.

London

Germany and UK seal historic defence pact

Donald Trump says American-made weapons bought by NATO are being shipped to Ukraine. Trump's also threatening sanctions, saying his aim is to force Putin to negotiate an end to the war. But with Ukraine under nightly attack, there’s scepticism over whether he'll achieve anything.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

U.S. ships NATO purchased Patriot missiles to Ukraine

Syria condemns Israel for fatal strikes on several government buildings in Damascus. The escalation threatens to disrupt new U.S.-brokered security talks between Israel and Syria, with both sides expressing concerns over stability in the region.

Israeli airstrikes on Syria threaten security talks

U.S. President Donald Trump is still dealing with fallout from his own supporters over his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. CBS News Department of Justice reporter Jake Rosen has more.

Trump says Epstein conspiracy theory is hoax started by Democrats

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that she spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and that the two had agreed to strengthen trade collaboration, particularly in light of the tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump set to go in effect on August 1.

Mexico City

Global Tariffs

Mexico plans to strengthen trade with Canada

Former President Barack Obama joined his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, on her latest podcast episode with her brother Craig Robinson to address divorce rumors.

Obamas address divorce rumors on Michelle’s podcast

Israel struck Syrian military targets as well as central Damascus on Wednesday (July 16) as it continued its campaign to protect Druze minority communities in southern Syria.

Israel strikes Damascus as fighting rages in southern Syria

U.S. ambassador Mike Huckabee's appearance at Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial follows President Trump's call for Israel to throw out the case or pardon the Israeli prime minister.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

U.S. ambassador attends Netanyahu trial to show support from Trump

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the U.S. would impose a 19% tariff on goods from Indonesia under a new agreement with the Southeast Asian country and more deals were in the works as he continued to press for what he views as better terms with trading partners.

Trump eyes more trade deals soon as EU readies retaliation

At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday (July 16) at an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in what the U.S.-backed group said was a crowd surge instigated by armed agitators. This video contains graphic images.

Jerusalem

Crush at Gaza aid site kills at least 20, GHF blames agitators

Police in Los Angeles have arrested a 22-year-old suspect in the double homicide of American Idol executive Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca. The couple, both 70 years old, was found shot to death in their home earlier this week.

Encino

Police make arrest in murders of American Idol executive, husband

Streaming shows dominated nominations for the 2025 Emmy Awards. "Severance" earned the most series nominations with 27. Meanwhile, "The Studio" earned the most-ever nominations for a debut comedy series with 23.

Hollywood

'Severance' and 'The Studio' earn top Emmy nominations

The United Torah Judaism party has decided to quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition over its failure to secure military service exemptions. Members of the ultra-orthodox community have been exempted from enlisting in the army since 1948.

Major cracks in Netanyahu coalition as ultra-Orthodox party quits

New information about the Jeffrey Epstein case may soon be made public after a reversal from U.S. President Donald Trump and weeks of criticism — the loudest of which has come from within the MAGA movement.

Epstein files may be released after Trump reversal

Russia's Vladimir Putin has rejected President Trump's ultimatum for Moscow to sign a ceasefire deal with Ukraine in the next 50 days. Trump has threatened to issue a 100% tariff on any country that does business with Russia if no ceasefire deal is reached.

Moscow

Russia rejects Trump's ultimatum for ceasefire in Ukraine

Fighting has erupted in the southern Syrian city of As Suwayda just six hours after a ceasefire was announced. Earlier on Tuesday, Syrian government forces withdrew heavy vehicles from the city, hoping to ease tensions.

As Suwayda

Fighting erupts in Syria’s As Suwayda hours after ceasefire deal

Two laptops and hard drives containing watermarked and unreleased music by Beyoncé were stolen from her choreographer’s rental car in Atlanta, according to police.

Atlanta

Unreleased Beyoncé music stolen from choreographer’s rental car

The House Committee on Education and Workforce is holding its ninth hearing in 18 months on antisemitism on college campuses. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul has more details.

Anger at House committee hearing on antisemitism in college campuses

An Air India Boeing airplane crashed in northwestern India in June, killing all people on board but one passenger. India's aviation regulator has now ordered airlines to examine fuel control switches on several Boeing models.

New Delhi

India orders airlines to inspect Boeing airplane models after crash

Controversy on Capitol Hill over the so-called Epstein Files is seemingly not going away anytime soon.

House Republicans block Democratic push to release Epstein documents

An Israeli scheme to move hundreds of thousands of already uprooted Palestinians to a so-called "humanitarian city" in Gaza has led politicians to spar with the defense establishment. Critics inside and outside Israel have denounced the proposal.

Critics slam Israeli scheme to move Gazans to 'humanitarian city'

At least two people were killed in a New Jersey flash flooding event, Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday morning as heavy rains are expected to continue battering the Northeast. CBS News' Rob Marciano has more details.

New Jersey

Two killed in New Jersey flash flooding

After over a week of negotiations in Doha, a truce in Gaza remains elusive, despite intensified efforts by mediators. The stalemate continues as both Hamas and Israel trade blame over ongoing strikes.

Doha

Gaza truce still out of reach after Doha talks

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Donald Trump's administration to resume dismantling the Department of Education, part of his bid to shrink the federal government's role in education in favor of more control by the states.

U.S. Supreme Court clears way for Trump to gut Education Department

Syria's government troops entered the Sweida region following deadly clashes on Tuesday, while Israel carried out strikes against them, saying it was acting to protect the Druze minority.

Syrian forces enter Sweida city following deadly clashes

Heavy rains slammed the Northeast and caused flash floods in the New York City subway system. CBS News' Rob Marciano has the latest.

New York

Flash flooding pummels NYC and slams subway lines

US President Donald Trump told Russia to end its war in Ukraine within 50 days or face massive new economic sanctions, as he laid out plans for infusions of weaponry for Kyiv via NATO. "We're going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100 percent," Trump said.

Trump gives Moscow 50-day ultimatum over Ukraine war

A Gaza-bound boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists and humanitarian aid left Sicily, over a month after Israel detained and deported people aboard a previous vessel.

Breakdown