ICE plans to equip officers with electric shock gloves

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency intends to purchase electric shock gloves for its officers, a plan that has drawn criticism from rights advocates. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has indicated ICE plans to spend up to $20 million on these devices, referred to as G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter) units. These gloves are described as a 'Conductive Distraction and De-escalation Device' designed to disrupt an individual's ability to respond by delivering a pain stimulus.

Civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have expressed alarm, stating that providing agents with a concealed means of inflicting pain could lead to greater harm and less accountability. The DHS maintains that ICE officers receive de-escalation and use of force training, and that all technology acquisitions are carefully reviewed for policy consistency.

This plan comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE's tactics, including fatal shootings by agents and concerns over conditions in detention centers, which have fueled nationwide protests. Rights groups argue that President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown has violated civil liberties and created an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities.