US immigration agency to invest $20m in electric-shock gloves for agents

The Department of Homeland Security has disclosed plans

The Department of Homeland Security has disclosed plans to allocate as much as $20 million toward acquiring thousands of gloves capable of administering painful electric shocks, with deliveries expected by March. The announcement, posted on Monday, outlines the procurement for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and agents.

The device, branded as the Glove (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), is produced by Compliant Technologies LLC, a company based in Lexington, Kentucky. According to the manufacturer, a single activation typically prompts compliance from subjects in under three seconds, making the tool an effective means of control during enforcement operations.

This move signals a significant investment in non-lethal restraint technology, though it has already drawn scrutiny from civil liberties advocates who question the potential for misuse and the ethical implications of deploying such tools in routine immigration enforcement. Critics argue that electric shock devices could escalate encounters and lead to unnecessary harm for individuals already in vulnerable situations.

ICE officials have not yet commented publicly on

ICE officials have not yet commented publicly on the specifics of how the gloves will be deployed, but the procurement notice suggests they are intended for use in high-risk scenarios where verbal commands fail. The cost estimate, which could reach $20 million, reflects a substantial commitment to equipping frontline personnel with advanced compliance tools.

As the agency moves forward with this purchase, the decision is likely to fuel broader debates about the militarization of immigration enforcement and the balance between officer safety and humane treatment of detainees.