The Trump administration is moving to equip Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers with electric shock gloves, a step that has renewed concerns about aggressive immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security said in a procurement notice that it plans to buy thousands of the devices by March, at a cost of up to $20 million.
The gloves, known as the G.L.O.V.E., are designed to deliver an electric shock when the wearer activates the device and makes direct contact with a person’s skin. DHS said the equipment is intended for ICE agents involved in enforcement operations, and the devices have already been used for years in some jails and police departments.
A DHS spokesman said the agency wants the equipment needed to safely arrest and deport people who are in the country illegally. But immigrant rights advocates say they are worried ICE officers could use force without enough oversight or accountability.
The debate comes as the agency is already facing scrutiny over recent shootings in Texas and Maine, where two immigrants were killed in separate incidents involving ICE officers. Critics say the glove proposal adds to growing concerns about excessive force in immigration raids and arrests.
