US immigration agency plans to deploy robot dogs

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is set to acquire dog-like robots for a projected cost of US$2 million, as per government contract documents. The remote-controlled devices, sourced from Boston Dynamics, a leading global robotics company, are intended for situational awareness and risk assessment. These robots, which resemble canines, will be utilized to enhance authorities' ability to respond to incidents in hazardous, confined, unstable, or challenging-to-access areas.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, had announced the acquisition in a notification published on Thursday and widely reported on Friday. It remains unclear whether the robots possess any attack capabilities. Standard SPOT robots are equipped with a high-resolution 360-degree camera, ultra-bright LED light, and a light detection system.

ICE's use of these robots follows its controversial deportation raids, which led to the fatal shootings of US citizens in Minneapolis, Houston, and Maine. Additionally, the agency has faced criticism over its planned procurement of electric-shock gloves. The deployment of dog-like robots is not unprecedented; Boston Dynamics' similar devices have already been employed by German authorities to inspect bridge safety.