US Immigration Agency Set to Acquire Electric Shock Gloves Worth $20m

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning to purchase electric shock gloves for its officers, a move that has sparked concern among civil rights advocates. The agency intends to spend up to $20 million on the devices, which are designed to deliver an electric stimulus to individuals who are resisting arrest or refusing to comply with orders. The gloves, known as G.L.O.V.E., are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC, a company based in Lexington, Kentucky. According to the manufacturer, the devices function as ordinary patrol gloves until an officer activates an electrical mode using a switch. The gloves must make direct contact with a person's skin to deliver the electric stimulus, which is intended to cause pain and gain compliance within seconds. John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, has described the sensation as immediate and sharp, likening it to a bee sting. Peters believes that the devices could be particularly useful when officers encounter people resisting arrest or refusing to comply with orders. However, civil rights advocates have criticized the planned purchase, arguing that ICE officers are already facing scrutiny over their use of force and that the introduction of electric shock devices could lead to further abuses. Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy project director on policing at the American Civil Liberties Union, has questioned the need for electric shock devices in civil immigration enforcement and expressed concern that individuals could be subjected to electric shocks without warning. The manufacturer has warned that the devices should not be used as punishment or against people who are merely verbally defiant or belligerent, and advises against their use on high-risk groups, including children, pregnant women, elderly people, and people with disabilities. Officers who plan to use the devices must complete a training course and undergo recertification every two years.