ICE Faces Backlash Over Proposed $20M Electric Shock Glove Purchase

The proposed purchase, outlined in a notice published Monday, would equip officers with the G.L.O.V.E., or Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, a device that delivers a painful shock when pressed against skin. Unlike Tasers, the gloves leave no marks, making them harder to detect after use.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said at a news conference Wednesday that officers misusing the gloves in her state could face criminal and civil penalties. Several congressional Democrats, including Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Maxwell Frost, and Delia Ramirez, criticized the move on social media, with Jayapal saying it gives ICE 'another dangerous tool to target citizens and immigrants alike.'

The manufacturer's manual warns against using the gloves on the elderly, small children, pregnant women, and the severely handicapped, and says they should not be used for punishment, torture, or in response to verbal defiance. A pending lawsuit alleges a 43-year-old man died in 2024 after being shocked 27 times with the gloves and 13 times with a Taser at a Kentucky jail, with some shocks lasting far longer than the recommended 15-second limit.

The Department of Homeland Security defended the purchase in a statement, saying ICE regularly evaluates tools to ensure officers can safely arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens, and that all technology is reviewed for compliance with law enforcement policies.

The solicitation for a no-bid contract could be released as early as Friday, with the contract running through March 31, 2027. The founder of Compliant Technologies LLC, which makes the gloves, declined to comment.