ICE Plans $20 Million Purchase of Electric-Shock Gloves for Officers
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend up to $20 million (£15 million) to purchase thousands of electric-shock gloves for its officers and agents, according to reporting by The Guardian and an Associated Press exclusive published on August 11 (Associated Press). The procurement, previewed on a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) portal that forecasts upcoming contract opportunities, requires delivery by March 31, 2027 (Apple Valley News Now).
The gloves, manufactured by Compliant Technologies under the product name GLOVE, deliver electrical pulses ranging from roughly 210 to 362 volts, according to technical specifications from the manufacturer (Firstpost). For comparison, a standard U.S. wall outlet carries about 120 volts, though the gloves are designed to deliver a brief pulse rather than a sustained current. The GLOVE manual states the device must come into contact with a subject's skin but will function through thin clothing layers when wet. Users are directed to undergo training and be recertified every two years. The manual also states the device is not intended to replace existing tools but to supplement an agency's weapons and tactical procedures (BBC).
A DHS note specifies that GLOVE would be issued to officers in two ICE divisions: Homeland Security Investigations, which targets transnational criminal organizations, and Enforcement and Removal Operations, which handles immigration arrests, detention, and deportation (BBC). According to a statement from Peters, the planned ICE purchase would be the largest from Compliant Technologies to date (BBC). NBC News, NewsNation, and LiveNOW Fox independently reported the procurement, describing the gloves as capable of delivering a brief, painful shock intended to gain compliance from combative individuals (NBC News; NewsNation; LiveNOW Fox).
The SAM.gov notice for the procurement, titled "Personal Protective Equipment Infrastructure Investment," states the contract aims to ensure a 100% domestically sourced, American-manufactured product, including all components, and is compliant with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (SAM.gov).
Civil liberties groups have responded with alarm. Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, ACLU deputy director on policing, said GLOVE would allow ICE officers to deliver an electric shock with their hands by pressing a small button, in a move she said might be imperceptible to bystanders. Borchetta also said ICE has spent the last year showing it is willing to disregard the law and is too quick to use force (BBC).
The procurement arrives amid ongoing scrutiny of ICE's use of force during enforcement operations. That scrutiny includes the fatal shooting of Mexican national Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas and the killing of Colombian national Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero during an immigration enforcement operation in Maine (BBC).
The broader context here is a federal law enforcement agency expanding its less-lethal toolkit at a moment when its use-of-force record is under sustained public pressure. The GLOVE's characteristics raise oversight questions distinct from those surrounding firearms or conducted electrical weapons like Tasers. A handheld device that can deliver a shock through physical contact, potentially without visible indication to observers, complicates accountability mechanisms that rely on after-action reporting or third-party witness accounts. The training and biennial recertification requirement in the manual signals awareness of this risk, but the operational reality across two divisions with distinct missions means the same device will be deployed across widely varying encounter profiles.
The IIJA compliance requirement and the 100% domestic manufacturing mandate tie this procurement into the broader federal push to onshore supply chains for critical equipment. That linkage may limit the field of eligible suppliers but does not, on its face, address the use-of-force questions raised by the ACLU and other critics. With delivery not required until March 2027, there is a window for congressional oversight, policy review, or legal challenge before the devices reach officers in the field.
