ICE Plans $20 Million Purchase of Electric Shock Gloves for Agents

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to outfit its officers and agents with electric-shock gloves, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeking between $10 million and $20 million for the purchase.

DHS submitted paperwork on Monday to move ahead with acquiring the devices, known as G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter). These gloves, manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC of Lexington, Kentucky, are described as conductive distraction and de-escalation devices and deliver an electric shock similar to a Taser. The devices can deliver up to 380 volts of electricity and up to 30 pulses per second, activated by a button.

They also feature built-in microprocessors that record activation. A user manual for the G.L.O.V.E. recommends avoiding use on the elderly, small children, pregnant women, and the severely handicapped, and suggests an additional officer be present to restrain the subject. The device must make direct contact with a subject's skin but can function through thin clothing layers when wet.

A DHS spokesperson stated that ICE is constantly assessing the needs of our officers in the field to ensure they have the tools and equipment necessary to safely arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our country. The ACLU, however, stated that giving immigration agents a concealed means of delivering terrible pain is a recipe for more harm to the public and less accountability.

Critics have expressed outrage and fears of misuse regarding the plan. A no-bid purchase contract could be published as early as Friday, with deliveries expected by March 2027.