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ICE plans to purchase $20 million in electric shock gloves
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to invest between $10 million and $20 million to equip agents with conductive distraction and de-escalation devices, known as G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter). According to a Department of Homeland Security notice, the agency aims to acquire thousands of these devices by March 2027. The manufacturer, Kentucky-based Compliant Technologies LLC, states the gloves function as standard patrol gear until an electrical mode is activated via a switch, delivering a sharp, bee-sting-like pain stimulus upon direct skin contact to gain compliance from combative individuals.
Civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have expressed significant alarm regarding the plan. Critics argue that the devices could be used with little oversight or transparency, potentially leading to unmonitored use of force during immigration enforcement operations. The manufacturer’s guidelines specify that the devices should not be used against children, pregnant women, the elderly, or those exhibiting only verbal defiance. To use the equipment, officers must complete a training course and undergo recertification every two years.
Entities
American Civil Liberties Union · Compliant Technologies LLC · Department of Homeland Security · Donald Trump · Immigration and Customs Enforcement · Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths · Jeff Niklaus · John Peters
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 32 SOURCES] ICE plans to spend between $10 million and $20 million to purchase thousands of conductive distraction and de-escalation devices by March 2027. vinnews.com · www.cbsnews.com · srnnews.com · www.standard-democrat.com · krmg.com · +26 more
- [● 32 SOURCES] The G.L.O.V.E. devices function as normal patrol gloves until an officer activates an electrical mode via a switch. vinnews.com · www.cbsnews.com · srnnews.com · www.standard-democrat.com · krmg.com · +26 more
- [● 27 SOURCES] The device delivers an immediate, sharp pain stimulus described as being like a bee sting. vinnews.com · www.cbsnews.com · srnnews.com · www.standard-democrat.com · krmg.com · +21 more
- [● 26 SOURCES] A solicitation for a no-bid contract for the devices could be published as early as Friday. vinnews.com · www.cbsnews.com · srnnews.com · www.standard-democrat.com · krmg.com · +20 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] Officers must complete a training course and undergo recertification every two years to use the devices. www.focus.de · www.zeit.de · bpmoney.com.br
- [● 3 SOURCES] The devices must not be used against risk groups such as children, pregnant women, or elderly people. www.focus.de · www.zeit.de · newrepublic.com
- [● 21 SOURCES] The gloves must be applied directly to someone’s skin to deliver a pain stimulus. www.focus.de · www.zeit.de · vinnews.com · www.cbsnews.com · srnnews.com · +16 more