ICE plans to buy electric shock gloves for thousands of agents

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to acquire thousands of specialized gloves designed to administer electric shocks, a move aimed at controlling combative individuals. The agency intends to invest up to $20 million in these "conductive distraction and de-escalation devices," with a goal of equipping agents by March.

The technology, known as G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), is manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC. While the company and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declined to comment on the specific procurement, the devices have reportedly seen use in some correctional facilities and police departments.

Civil rights advocates have voiced significant concerns regarding ICE's plan. They point to existing criticisms of the agency's use of force and accountability during President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement operations. The potential deployment of these shock-inducing gloves raises further alarm about escalation and the methods used to detain and manage migrants.

Compliant Technologies states that the G.L.O.V.E. devices function as standard patrol gloves until activated by a switch. When applied directly to a person's skin, they deliver a painful stimulus intended to incapacitate and distract, allowing an agent to gain control quickly. John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, described the effect as "immediate and acute," comparable to a bee sting, and noted its effectiveness in subduing resistant individuals. Peters anticipates this ICE purchase could be the largest in the company's history.