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ICE's plan for electric shock gloves sparks outrage, misuse fears
🇺🇸 United States /Crime & Justice

ICE's plan for electric shock gloves sparks outrage, misuse fears

From PBS NewsHour · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to equip officers with electric shock gloves, sparking outrage from civil rights advocates and Democratic officials.
  • The devices, called G.L.O.V.E., deliver electric shocks through skin contact and are intended for compliance, costing between $10 million and $20 million.
  • Critics cite concerns over misuse and a pending lawsuit alleging the gloves contributed to a man's death after excessive shocks.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is planning to equip its officers with electric shock gloves, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic elected officials and civil rights advocates. They describe the devices as unnecessary and cruel.

We are outraged.

— Letitia JamesNew York Attorney General Letitia James expressing her strong disapproval of ICE's plan.

The agency intends to spend between $10 million and $20 million on the "Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter," or G.L.O.V.E., devices. These are standard patrol gloves that can deliver a painful electric shock when activated by a button. The shock requires direct skin contact to gain compliance from individuals resisting arrest. Unlike Tasers, the gloves do not leave visible marks.

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.

— Department of Homeland SecurityA statement from ICE's parent agency defending the need for appropriate equipment for officers.

New York Attorney General Letitia James expressed outrage, warning that ICE officers misusing the gloves in her state could face legal consequences. The Department of Homeland Security, ICE's parent agency, stated that the agency "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." They added that "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."

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.

— Department of Homeland SecurityFurther justification from the Department of Homeland Security regarding the review process for new technology.

However, concerns are amplified by a pending lawsuit. It alleges that a 43-year-old man died in 2024 after being shocked multiple times with the gloves and a Taser. An internal investigation found that some glove shocks exceeded the manufacturer's recommended limit, lasting significantly longer than 15 seconds. These prolonged shocks, the investigation noted, "not only inflicted unnecessary pain but also heightened the risk of serious health complications."

These actions not only inflicted unnecessary pain but also heightened the risk of serious health complications.

— Madison County Detention Center internal investigationFindings from an internal investigation into a death allegedly linked to the use of shock gloves.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by PBS NewsHour in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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