ICE plans $20M purchase of electric shock gloves

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend between $10 million and $20 million on electric shock gloves for its agents, according to a notice published Monday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The devices, known as the G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC and deliver up to 380 volts of electricity upon skin contact to gain compliance from resisting individuals Source: AP News, CNN. The purchase would equip agents in Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations, with delivery expected by March 2027 Source: CNN.

How it works

The gloves function as normal patrol gloves until a switch is activated, delivering high-frequency electrical pulses that overstimulate peripheral nerves, causing localized pain without the neuromuscular incapacitation of Tasers Source: WIRED. The manufacturer claims compliance is typically achieved in under three seconds and that the gloves leave no burns or marks Source: WIRED. The user manual warns against use on children, the elderly, pregnant women, and the severely disabled, and recommends limiting shocks to 15 seconds Source: CNN, BBC.

The reaction

White House border czar Tom Homan defended the gloves as a tool to avoid deadly force, saying, "You can't just go from 0 to 100, right, and the first thing you go for is lethal force" Source: AP News. However, civil rights groups and Democratic officials have condemned the plan. New York Attorney General Letitia James said she was "outraged," and the ACLU's Naureen Shah called it "a recipe for harm to the public" Source: AP News, The Verge. Critics point to ICE's recent use of force, including fatal shootings, and question the need for such devices in civil immigration enforcement Source: The Guardian.

Concerns and context

A pending lawsuit alleges a man died in 2024 after being shocked 27 times with the gloves at a Kentucky jail, with some shocks lasting far longer than recommended Source: AP News. The DHS has not commented on the purchase, and the manufacturer declined to speak on the subject Source: CNN, BBC. The solicitation for a no-bid contract could be published as early as Friday Source: CNN.