Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys chairman recently freed after a Trump pardon, is now making headlines for his latest move—rolling out a controversial new web app that pays people in cryptocurrency to report undocumented immigrants.
The app, ICERAID.US, lets users upload photos and details of suspected undocumented individuals, promising crypto rewards in a token called $RAID. Tarrio, who calls himself the platform’s “czar,” claims it’s all about national security and helping ICE carry out deportations—though the platform isn’t affiliated with the government.
In promotional posts, Tarrio says users can earn bonuses through weekly contests and by submitting more photos and locations. He even suggested undocumented immigrants could report themselves and possibly receive a reward, although the app’s fine print admits it has no legal power to grant anyone immigration status.
Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years for his role in organizing the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, even though he wasn’t physically in D.C. at the time. Trump granted him a pardon earlier this year. Now, he’s using his platform to encourage private citizens to act as enforcers of immigration law.
The app arrives just as the Department of Homeland Security launched its own campaign urging people to report undocumented individuals, complete with vintage-style posters. Immigrant rights groups warn that these initiatives could lead to false reports and harassment, especially in workplaces and neighborhoods.
Still, Tarrio seems determined to push ICERAID like it’s the next big thing. On a recent podcast, he even joked that the app is “like Pokémon Go, but for illegal immigrants,” hinting at plans for a tagline similar to “Gotta catch ’em all.”
Tarrio’s reemergence is part of a broader legal and political play. Just last week, he and four other Proud Boys filed a $100 million lawsuit against the DOJ and FBI, claiming political persecution in the Jan. 6 prosecutions.
Now a free man, Tarrio appears to be building a digital ecosystem for vigilantism—and he’s paying people to participate.
