Robot Dogs, Electric Gloves and Vehicle-Stopping Devices: ICE’s New Deportation Technology Push

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is moving to expand its operational technology with robot dogs, electric gloves and a device designed to stop vehicles. The agency says the tools will improve officer safety during high-risk operations.

ICE plans to invest an estimated $1 million to $2 million in quadrupedal surveillance robots called Spot, made by Boston Dynamics. The plan appeared in the Department of Homeland Security’s Acquisition Planning Forecast System in a record published in late August 2026.

The robots would operate remotely, allowing agents to inspect properties, assess risks and improve situational awareness in dangerous or difficult-to-reach places. Authorities say the units could alert officers to harmful chemicals or possible threats. DHS officials have ruled out installing weapons or offensive equipment on the exploration robots.

The federal administration also plans to spend up to $20 million on thousands of electric gloves capable of delivering a shock through physical contact. Government spokespeople defend the purchase as an intermediate control option that could help officers avoid lethal methods or excessive force during arrests. Civil rights advocates and specialists, however, have raised concerns about possible misuse and the lack of clear controls.

ICE separately signed a $29,286 contract with Arizona-based Stock Enterprises LLC for a vehicle-stopping system known as the Grappler Police Bumper. The equipment consists of a metal structure mounted on the front of police patrol vehicles. The supplied article ends while describing how the device is used.