WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Justice has terminated Carolyn Feinstein, a forensic accountant and nearly decade-long employee, over her undisclosed ownership in a business tied to an app that alerts users to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.
Feinstein, who worked in the DOJ’s Office of the U.S. Trustee, is married to Joshua Aaron, the developer of the ICEBlock app. The app has drawn criticism for warning undocumented immigrants of nearby ICE enforcement operations.
The DOJ said Feinstein was fired for a “lack of candor,” citing her failure to disclose her ownership stake in the business associated with the app. Her termination followed scrutiny sparked by a post from far-right commentator Laura Loomer, who publicized Feinstein’s connection to the app on social media last week.
“This was retribution. I was fired because of the actions, or activism, of my husband,” Feinstein told the Daily Beast. “It is insulting to me because I dedicated myself and my career to serving the people of the United States, and now the DOJ is claiming I was attempting to harm some of them. And that’s not true.”
Feinstein admitted she held shares in the business that operated ICEBlock but denied any involvement in its development or management. Critics, including immigration enforcement advocates, argue the app poses risks to federal agents by revealing their locations.
The DOJ has not issued further comment beyond confirming the dismissal was based on Feinstein’s lack of full disclosure regarding her financial interest in the app.
