Students Map ICE Agents, Government Calls It Dangerous

A couple of freshmen from a Houston university built an online tool that shows where immigration officers are active. The map pulls data from news outlets, public records and other open sources so anyone can click a spot and see recent enforcement actions. The creators, both nineteen years old, said they started the project after teaching English to a group of Guatemalan kids. “We kept hearing about families disappearing, ” one student told reporters. They felt no information was available, so they made the map to fill that gap. The Department of Homeland Security reacted quickly. Officials warned that exposing officer locations could threaten their safety and hinder law‑enforcement work. They urged the public to visit a government site that lists alleged criminals being removed from communities.The agency also stated it would continue its mission to keep the country safe. It said the map would not stop or slow down its operations. The project has sparked a debate about transparency versus security. Some argue that sharing data helps hold agencies accountable, while others worry it could put people at risk. The students defend their work as a harmless transparency effort. They claim they did not intend to endanger anyone. The federal response shows how quickly technology projects can become political flashpoints. It also highlights the tension between open information and national security concerns. The situation remains unresolved, with both sides waiting to see how the map will be used and regulated in the future.