Zello’s 5 million users probably don’t expect to share channels with ICE strike teams, but bodycam footage reveals exactly that reality. Recent bodycam footage from a Chicago incident shows Customs and Border Protection officers coordinating through the consumer app during a shooting involving agent Charles Exum and U.S. citizen Marimar Martinez in October. One officer reported “we’ve been struck” directly through Zello’s interface, treating the smartphone app like professional radio equipment.
From Consumer Tool to Federal Coordination
The same app you might download for camping trips now powers ICE operations.
Zello functions like a digital walkie-talkie, letting users communicate through Wi-Fi or cellular data instead of traditional radio frequencies. The app claims 5 million monthly active users who typically coordinate everything from disaster relief to group hiking.
But 404 Media’s investigation uncovered multiple Zello accounts linked to official [email protected] email addresses, with usernames referencing Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, and surveillance strike teams.
The Free App That Costs Nothing to Monitor
Basic features work perfectly for federal coordination without enterprise contracts.
Unlike expensive government communication systems, Zello’s free tier provides everything needed for real-time coordination. The app works on any smartphone with minimal data requirements—even functioning over 2G networks when cell towers lose power.
Radio enthusiast forums confirmed widespread ICE and CBP adoption, suggesting agencies chose accessibility over security. You’re probably more familiar with Zello’s marketing to first responders during hurricanes, but the same simplicity that helps disaster volunteers also appeals to deportation teams.
Platform’s Problematic Past Shadows Current Use
January 6 coordination issues raise questions about content moderation.
Zello’s history complicates its federal adoption. The platform hosted far-right channels that Capitol insurrectionists used for January 6 coordination, leading to harsh criticism from Media Matters and MilitiaWatch.
Zello eventually deleted over 2,000 channels in January 2021, but the delayed response highlighted weak content enforcement. Now the same platform that struggled to moderate violent extremism facilitates immigration enforcement operations—an irony that privacy advocates will likely scrutinize.
Your smartphone apps reveal more about government operations than you might expect. When federal agencies choose consumer tools over secure alternatives, the line between personal technology and state surveillance blurs in ways that would make even dystopian Netflix shows seem quaint.
