ICE plans to spend up to $20 million on electrical shock gloves for agents

Electrical Gloves Set to Join ICE Agent Equipment

Qwenews.com – Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel could soon carry specialized gloves capable of delivering electrical pulses during encounters. According to the manufacturer, these devices aim to calm situations rather than escalate them. A recent notice from the Department of Homeland Security reveals ICE intends to allocate between $10 million and $20 million for acquiring the equipment, identified as CTG 5 G.L.O.V.E—Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter.

Under the contract terms previewed on the DHS forecasting portal, deliveries are scheduled to conclude by March 31, 2027. The agency has not yet specified quantities, individual pricing, or implementation timelines. This announcement arrives as immigration enforcement faces mounting criticism regarding aggressive methods, alongside Trump administration directives targeting approximately 2,000 daily arrests.

Device Specifications and Usage Guidelines

The DHS documentation classifies the equipment as a “Conductive Distraction and De-escalation Device” designated for Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement Removal Operations staff. Compliant Technologies LLC manufactures the product, though neither the company nor DHS provided immediate responses to media inquiries.

Jeff Niklaus, founder and chief executive of Compliant Technologies, communicated via email that the firm could not offer comment at this time. The manufacturer describes the G.L.O.V.E as a “wearable de-escalation device” capable of transitioning into electrical mode. User documentation for CTG4 and CTG5 models indicates maximum output reaches 380 volts, which “inhibits/ distracts the subject from performing coordinated muscle movement.”

The manual specifies that no more than two gloves should be applied to a subject at one time and they should not be used for more than 15 seconds in many instances.

Should situations arise where officers or civilians face danger, guidance suggests continued glove deployment until “control and compliance” is achieved, or escalation to higher force levels. Direct skin contact remains essential for effectiveness, as the gloves prove ineffective through garments or hair.

Operational Considerations and Precautions

Compliant Technologies positions the gloves to “supplement existing tools for law enforcement, corrections, security, EMS and the military,” characterizing them as an “‘invisible partner’ to enhance the user’s effectiveness when operating within their agencies’ already established tactics, techniques and procedures.”

Several restrictions accompany proper usage. The manufacturer advises against employing the gloves as “punishment” or on vulnerable populations including pregnant women, seniors, young children, and severely disabled persons. Deployment for “verbal defiance or belligerence” also warrants caution. Certification requirements mandate recertification every two years for continued operation.

The DHS solicitation for a no-bid arrangement may surface as early as Friday. This development occurs within broader immigration enforcement expansion efforts across multiple fronts.

Historical Precedent and Expert Assessment

Similar technology has appeared in law enforcement and correctional settings previously. CNN affiliate KOKH documented Oklahoma County Jail’s 2024 plans to implement electric gloves from the same manufacturer, capable of delivering at least 210 volts to inmates.

“We’re only grabbing enough motor units across the skin to stimulate the peripheral nervous system. Just the sensory portion of that. So, we don’t cause any injury with our device,” Morris said, according to KOKH, adding “we usually get compliance within three seconds.”

Justin Morris, Compliant Technologies’ Oklahoma distributor, emphasized the technology’s safety profile during that period. John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, provided additional perspective to the Associated Press regarding the device’s effects.

“The feeling is ‘immediate and sharp, and it will distract you. I call it like a bee sting.’ If the officer is getting any type of resistance from the person, this is certainly an effective tool. For smaller officers or weaker officers or older officers, I think it has a great advantage.”