US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend up to $20 million on electric shock gloves for officers and agents, prompting criticism from Democratic lawmakers and civil rights advocates who warn the devices could be misused during immigration enforcement.A US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notice published Monday said ICE plans to buy the Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, or GLOVE, for Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement Removal Operations officers and agents. The proposed spending is between $10 million and $20 million.The gloves can deliver up to 380 volts and are designed to disrupt an individual’s ability to respond, news outlet BBC reported. DHS describes them as “a Conductive Distraction and De-escalation Device”. The gloves look like ordinary patrol gloves until an officer presses a button to activate the electrical mode. News agency AP explained that they must be applied directly to a person’s skin and are intended to cause pain and gain compliance from someone resisting. Unlike Tasers, they do not leave burn or contact marks.The plan quickly drew criticism from rights groups. The American Civil Liberties Union said giving immigration agents “a concealed means of delivering terrible pain is a recipe for more harm to the public and less accountability.”New York attorney general Letitia James told AP on Wednesday, “We are outraged,” warning that ICE officers who misuse the gloves in her state could face criminal and civil consequences.DHS did not specifically explain why ICE had selected the gloves but defended its broader equipment policy.“ICE is constantly assessing the needs of our officers in the field to ensure they have the tools and equipment necessary to safely arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our country,” the department said.“Every decision is made with careful consideration and appropriately reviewed to ensure that any technology ICE utilizes is consistent with all applicable law enforcement policies and standards.”Concerns have also focused on previous allegations involving the devices. A pending lawsuit alleges that a 43-year-old man died at a jail in Richmond, Kentucky, in 2024 after being shocked 27 times with the gloves and 13 more times with a Taser.An internal investigation found two glove shocks lasted 45 and 99 seconds, exceeding the manufacturer’s recommended 15-second limit.“These actions not only inflicted unnecessary pain but also heightened the risk of serious health complications,” the investigation said, according to court documents.Former ICE acting director John Sandweg warned about potential misuse. “It’s too easy for this to get misused, against a population that doesn’t pose a threat,” he told MS NOW.The manufacturer warns against using the devices on elderly people, small children, pregnant women and severely handicapped people. Its manual also prohibits their use for verbal defiance, punishment, torture or horseplay.ICE says its officers receive de-escalation and ongoing use-of-force training. The proposed no-bid contract could be released as early as Friday and run through March 31, 2027, according to the DHS notice.
