ICE plans to give officers gloves that can deliver electric shocks

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set to equip its officers with gloves capable of delivering electric shocks, in an effort to gain compliance from combative individuals. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has allocated funds ranging from $10 million to $20 million to purchase these conductive distraction and de-escalation devices, known as the G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), by March, according to a DHS notice.

The gloves, manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC in Kentucky, are not a new concept, having been used in some jails and police departments. The notice indicates that the no-bid contract could be published as early as Friday. DHS and Compliant Technologies have been approached for comment, with DHS stating they are working on a response.

Civil rights advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have expressed concern over the plan, citing ICE's history of excessive use of force during the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Compliant Technologies' CEO, Jeff Niklaus, confirmed the devices would be activated by pressing a switch, delivering a sharp pain stimulus that typically helps gain compliance within seconds.

John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, believes the purchase would likely be the largest to date for the company. He envisions ICE officers using the gloves to remove uncooperative subjects from vehicles and facilities. However, the manufacturer warns against using the device for punishment, verbal defiance, or on vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant women, or the elderly and disabled.

The ACLU's deputy project director on policing, Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, voiced skepticism about the appropriate usage of the devices, questioning why they are necessary for civil immigration enforcement and noting that the shocked individuals might have no advance warning. She criticized ICE for showing a pattern of excessive force recently. Supporters argue the devices are primarily used in specific jail and transport situations, rather than for general street patrolling.

The planned purchases come amid ICE's intensified crackdown on individuals suspected of being in the U.S. illegally, as pressured by the White House to arrest 2,000 people per day. ICE has faced scrutiny for its tactics during arrest surges, including the fatal shootings of two immigrants in Maine and Texas last month, where agents were not wearing body cameras. DHS has pledged to widely deploy body-worn cameras, with all ICE arrest teams to have at least one officer equipped with a camera.