ICE to add a new tool to its crackdown arsenal — Gloves that deliver painful electric shocks

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning to equip thousands of its officers with gloves that can deliver electrical shocks through direct contact, according to federal procurement documents published by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The proposed purchase could cost between $10 million and $20 million. Under the plan, ICE would seek to acquire thousands of the devices by March through a proposed no-bid contract.

The equipment is described in government documents as a conductive distraction and de-escalation device, or CD3. It is commercially known as the G.L.O.V.E., short for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter.

How the shock gloves work

The gloves are designed to look and function like conventional tactical gloves, but contain a mechanism that allows officers to deliver an electrical pulse when the glove comes into contact with a person’s skin.

The device is manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC, a company based in Lexington, Kentucky.

According to technical information from the manufacturer, the gloves can deliver electrical pulses ranging from about 210 volts to 362 volts. The company markets them as a tool intended to help officers gain physical compliance from people who resist arrest or other enforcement actions.

The manufacturer says the electrical stimulus is designed to cause a sharp, immediate pain response and distract a person long enough for officers to restrain them.

The devices are intended to be used during direct physical contact and are marketed as a less-lethal alternative to other forms of force.

Device already used by some law enforcement agencies

The G.L.O.V.E. system has previously been used on a limited basis by some local law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities.

Manufacturer guidance reportedly advises officers against using the device on certain vulnerable groups, including children and pregnant women. It also says the gloves should not be used against people who are only verbally refusing to comply.

The proposed ICE purchase would significantly expand the use of the technology within federal immigration enforcement.

Civil liberties groups raise concerns

The planned acquisition has drawn criticism from civil rights and advocacy organisations, which argue that giving officers a concealed electrical weapon could increase the risk of excessive force.

Critics are particularly concerned about the possibility of the devices being used during immigration arrests, searches and detention operations, where officers may be operating in crowded or unpredictable environments.

Civil liberties advocates have also questioned whether existing safeguards would be sufficient to prevent misuse.

The American Civil Liberties Union has raised concerns about the potential risks associated with expanding the use of such equipment, particularly during encounters where officers have close physical contact with members of the public.

Part of wider ICE equipment expansion

The planned purchase comes as the Department of Homeland Security expands resources and equipment available to federal immigration enforcement agencies.

The proposed order would represent a major expansion of ICE’s use of wearable electrical devices, with the agency potentially spending up to $20 million on the equipment.

According to the procurement notice, the government could begin the formal contracting process as early as Friday. If the proposed acquisition goes ahead, thousands of ICE field officers could eventually be equipped with the shock-emitting gloves.

The plan is likely to face further scrutiny from lawmakers, civil rights groups and immigration advocates over the use of electrical weapons and the safeguards that would govern their deployment.