U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is planning to equip agents and officers with gloves capable of delivering electric shocks, a move the manufacturer describes as a tool for de-escalating physical encounters but one that has sparked concerns from civil rights advocates.
ICE plans to spend up to $20 million on thousands of the devices, known as the G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), according to a Department of Homeland Security procurement notice. The agency could begin deploying the technology by March.
The gloves are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC and are designed to deliver a painful, non-lethal electrical shock through direct contact. The manufacturer says the device is intended to quickly gain compliance from individuals who are resisting or becoming combative.
The company promotes the technology as a de-escalation tool, arguing that officers can use the device to control confrontations without relying on more traditional forms of physical force. The gloves are activated through a switch and are designed to deliver the shock directly through the glove.
However, the planned purchase has generated criticism from civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union. Critics argue that giving immigration enforcement personnel another pain-compliance tool could increase the potential for excessive force or misuse, particularly without strong oversight and clear rules governing when the devices can be activated.
The manufacturer itself cautions that the gloves should not be used as punishment or against certain vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant women, elderly people and individuals with disabilities. Officers are also expected to undergo training and periodic recertification.
The planned acquisition comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE’s use of force during immigration enforcement operations. Advocates say the introduction of electric-shock technology makes questions about accountability, training and transparency even more important.
Supporters of the devices argue that they could provide officers with an alternative way to manage dangerous physical confrontations and potentially reduce injuries to both officers and individuals being detained.
The controversy is likely to intensify as ICE moves forward with the procurement. At the center of the debate is whether a device designed to cause immediate pain can genuinely function as a de-escalation tool—or whether its use could create new risks during already tense immigration enforcement encounters.
