DHS to Allocate Up to $20 Million for Electric Shock Gloves for ICE Agents

The Department of Homeland Security announced a procurement that could cost as much as $20 million for devices called G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter) intended for use by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The gloves function as standard patrol gloves until activated, at which point they deliver an electric shock designed to deter resistance during arrests.

A DHS spokesperson said ICE continually assesses officer needs to provide tools that enable safe arrests and removals of individuals who have violated immigration law, and that any technology adopted is reviewed for compliance with law-enforcement policies and standards.

Compliant Technologies, the manufacturer, indicated the gloves are marketed as non-lethal and should not be used for verbal defiance, punishment, or against vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, pregnant women or severely disabled persons.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James warned that misuse of the equipment could constitute a civil-rights violation, stating, "That appears to me on its face to be a violation of civil rights to cause that kind of physical harm to an individual, regardless of what the offense may be."

DHS did not specify the exact circumstances under which the gloves would be employed, but noted that officers receive ongoing de-escalation and use-of-force training. The agency is also expanding body-camera deployment to ICE field offices, a move accelerated after earlier incidents involving agents without cameras.

Congress authorized funding for the body-camera rollout earlier this year, marking one of the few bipartisan agreements amid broader debates over ICE policy.