Key facts
- ICE awarded a $16.7 million contract to Compliant Technologies LLC for 6,000 pairs of electric shock gloves.
- The gloves are described as conductive distraction and de-escalation devices that deliver electric shocks upon skin contact.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has awarded a $16.7 million contract for 6,000 pairs of electric shock gloves, intended for controlling detainees and protesters. The move faces strong opposition from civil rights advocates and Democratic senators concerned about potential misuse of force.
The contract for electric shock gloves highlights ongoing tensions between law enforcement's perceived need for control tools and concerns over potential human rights abuses and excessive force, particularly within the context of immigration enforcement.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has awarded a $16.7 million contract to purchase 6,000 pairs of electric shock gloves, a move that has drawn significant criticism from civil rights advocates and a group of Democratic senators.
The contract, awarded to Kentucky-based Compliant Technologies LLC, involves devices that function as normal patrol gloves until activated to deliver electric shocks upon direct skin contact. ICE stated the gloves are intended for use in "high-tension environments" to control detainees and protesters who resist, aiming to prevent injuries and avoid the use of more severe force like firearms.
Despite the agency's justification, senators led by Catherine Cortez Masto expressed skepticism about ICE's capacity to safely deploy such a tool, citing past criticisms of the agency's use of force. They questioned the necessity of the devices and called for transparency regarding training, documentation, and oversight to prevent misuse.
ICE's parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, defended the acquisition, characterizing the opposition as an attempt to endanger law enforcement officers.