DHS Plans $20M in Electric-Shock Gloves for ICE
DHS is spending up to $20M on G.L.O.V.E. gloves that deliver electric shocks to ICE officers.
The update
The Department of Homeland Security is moving to equip Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks. The agency published a notice outlining plans to spend between $10 million and $20 million on the devices, known as Generated Low Output Voltage Emitters or G.L.O.V.E.
Why it matters
The technology is designed to gain immediate compliance from combative individuals. Civil rights advocates have raised concerns about the use of such tools in immigration enforcement, citing existing scrutiny over ICE’s use of force. The devices function as standard patrol gloves until activated, delivering a pain stimulus applied directly to the skin.
What to watch
Questions remain about the specific safety limits of the technology and how its use will be regulated. The solicitation for a no-bid contract could be published as early as this week, and legal challenges may follow as advocates push back against the deployment of electric-shock compliance tools in detention settings.
Sources
- thehill.com — Overview of the DHS notice and the planned expenditure.
- cbsnews.com — Details on the G.L.O.V.E. technology, manufacturer, and civil rights advocacy response.