U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may soon acquire electric shock gloves capable of delivering painful jolts upon contact with a person's skin. ICE states that these gloves will assist agents in deescalating situations with detainees or protesters without resorting to higher levels of force. However, this initiative has faced opposition from Democrats in Congress and civil rights advocates, largely due to ICE's history of violent encounters.
"ICE requires a low-impact tool for its officers and agents to utilize in cases where an individual is resisting arrest or otherwise represents a clear threat to officers and agents," the justification for the August contract stated. The gloves are intended for use when a subject is actively or passively resisting, allowing officers to gain control quickly to prevent injuries.
Tom Homan, White House border czar, argued that the gloves could help prevent deadly confrontations, stating, "It's another device to help someone get compliant when they are not. You can't just go from 0 to 100, right, and the first thing you go for is lethal force."
The nearly $17 million contract for 6,000 pairs of gloves comes amid increased scrutiny of ICE officers' use of force. Katherine Hawkins, a senior legal analyst at the Project on Government Oversight, criticized the decision, saying, "It's a terrible idea for an agency with this level of violence, a record of dishonesty and its use of force records, and just a general lack of accountability structures to get this technology."
In response to the Trump administration's actions, California's legislature passed a bill banning law enforcement from using electric shock gloves. Local police agencies have opposed this legislation, arguing that the gloves are a necessary deescalation tool.
The six-month, no-bid contract was awarded to Compliant Technologies LLC, a Kentucky-based company. The gloves, referred to as the Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter (G.L.O.V.E.), cost $2,400 per pair and deliver an electrical shock upon contact with bare skin.
The user manual for the gloves advises against using them on elderly individuals, small children, pregnant women, and those with severe disabilities. It also warns that the gloves may contribute to death or serious injury and can increase blood pressure and heart rate.
Some local law enforcement agencies have already begun using the gloves. In Tarrant County Jail, Texas, trained supervisors have reportedly used them successfully when inmates resist physically. Compliant Technologies president Dan De La Cruz claimed the product is "so benign and humane that nobody gets hurt."
However, there is a pending lawsuit in Kentucky following the death of a 43-year-old man who was shocked multiple times with the gloves and a Taser at the Madison County Detention Center. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not provided detailed information on who at ICE will have access to the gloves or what training and oversight will be implemented.
Several Democratic senators have expressed their opposition to the gloves in letters to DHS, requesting transparency on training requirements and a robust system for documenting their use.
Christopher Schneider, a sociology professor, described the rollout of the technology as problematic, noting that ICE has not clarified how officers will determine if someone is pregnant or has a pacemaker, which could lead to adverse consequences. He also raised concerns about the lack of oversight mechanisms for documenting the gloves' use.
Experts in civil rights and government oversight have highlighted the lack of accountability regarding ICE's use of the electric shock gloves. Naureen Shah from the American Civil Liberties Union emphasized that there is no assurance that ICE will investigate incidents resulting in severe injury.
Hawkins noted that accountability has significantly declined under the Trump administration, with a report indicating a dramatic increase in use of force by ICE in early 2025. While ICE's use of force can be subject to civil rights review, holding officers accountable remains challenging.
PBS News multiplatform reporter Tim McPhillips contributed to this story.