Abschieberazzien: US-Behörde ICE plant Einsatz von Roboter-Hunden

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is planning to deploy dog-like robots, according to documents related to contracts awarded to the company Boston Dynamics. The agency intends to spend up to two million dollars on the robotic quadrupeds, with the delivery expected this year. The remote-controlled robots are intended for situational assessments and threat evaluations, according to the justification for the proposed business.

Robot dogs could be used in particularly dangerous, unstable, or hard-to-reach environments during operations. No information on a potential offensive function was provided. Similar robots inspected bridges at the Port of Hamburg, part of the strict immigration policy of former President Donald Trump. The agency faced criticism at the beginning of the year after federal officials shot dead US citizens Renée Good and Alex Pretti on a public street.

In recent months, deadly operations have also occurred in Houston and the state of Maine. Recently, the agency caused controversy with the planned acquisition of electroshock stun belts. That authorities and security forces are turning to four-legged robots is not unusual. Dog-like robots from the same company were already used in Hamburg to inspect bridges' safety. Similar robots can also be used in bomb threats or other hazardous situations.