U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend up to $20 million to equip officers with gloves capable of delivering painful electric shocks to people resisting arrest or detention, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) procurement notice.
The devices, known as the G.L.O.V.E., or Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC, a Lexington, Kentucky-based company. ICE plans to purchase thousands of the devices, with the agency aiming to have them available by March, according to the DHS notice.
The proposed purchase could be made through a no-bid contract. The DHS notice said a solicitation could be published as early as Friday.
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The gloves function as ordinary patrol gloves until an officer activates their electrical mode with a switch. When applied directly to a person’s skin, the device delivers an electrical pulse intended to cause a sharp pain stimulus and gain compliance within seconds, according to the manufacturer.
The technology has been used in some U.S. jails and police departments. Supporters say it can help officers manage violent or resistant individuals while reducing the duration of physical confrontations.
John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, said the devices can be useful when officers encounter resistance. He said he could see ICE officers using the gloves when removing uncooperative people from vehicles or buildings and during transfers into or out of detention facilities.
The manufacturer, however, warns that the device should not be used as punishment or against people displaying only verbal defiance or belligerence. It also warns against using the gloves on high-risk groups, including children, pregnant women, elderly people and people with disabilities.
The planned purchase has drawn criticism from civil rights advocates, who questioned whether electric shock devices are appropriate for immigration enforcement.
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Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy project director on policing at the American Civil Liberties Union, said the devices could create additional risks because an officer could activate them without the person being shocked or bystanders knowing in advance.
The criticism comes amid broader scrutiny of ICE’s use of force during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement campaign. Advocates have called for greater oversight and accountability of officers involved in enforcement operations.
ICE had not provided an immediate response to AP’s questions about the planned purchase. The founder and CEO of Compliant Technologies also declined to comment on the procurement.
The manufacturer says officers must complete training before using the devices and undergo recertification every two years.
The proposed acquisition would expand the range of force options available to ICE officers as the agency increases immigration enforcement nationwide. The procurement remains subject to the federal contracting process and does not mean the gloves are already in widespread use by ICE officers.