Immigration and Customs Enforcement is going with plans to equip its officers with electric shock gloves, a proposal that has drawn swift criticism from civil rights advocates and lawmakers. As reported by the Boston Globe, the agency is planning to spend between $10 million and $20 million on the devices, officially described as conductive distraction and de-escalation tools. The gear, known as the G.L.O.V.E., or Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, functions as a standard patrol glove until an officer activates its electrical mode, at which point direct skin contact delivers a shock intended to force compliance.
The scale of the planned purchase suggests ICE intends to distribute the gloves to most of its workforce, a notable shift given that the devices have historically been used mainly in jail settings rather than in the field. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that equipment decisions are made with careful consideration to keep technology consistent with law enforcement policy, though the agency did not directly address concerns specific to this product.
Central to the criticism is a pending lawsuit connected to a 2024 case at a jail in Richmond, Kentucky, in which a 43-year-old man died after being shocked 27 times with the gloves and an additional 13 times with a Taser, according to the lawsuit. An internal investigation by the Madison County Detention Center found that two of the glove shocks lasted 45 and 99 seconds each, far beyond the manufacturer’s recommended 15-second limit, and concluded the shocks caused unnecessary pain and increased the risk of serious health complications.
The backlash from lawmakers has been swift and direct
Other legal challenges have also surfaced around the gloves, including a case involving a man with heart issues who was shocked at a Las Vegas trade show and a defendant who said he was mocked after being shocked in court, though both cases were later dismissed. Former ICE acting director John Sandweg said in a Wednesday interview that Navy sailors’ mental health concerns have similarly drawn scrutiny toward how government agencies handle personnel and public safety this week, and added that the shock gloves are “too easy for this to get misused.”
The manufacturer’s own guidance warns against using the device on pregnant women, the elderly, young children, or people who are severely handicapped, and states the gloves are not meant for punishment, torture, or use against verbal defiance alone. Northern Kentucky University law professor Michael Mannheimer said he is concerned officers could default to the gloves instead of trying less aggressive methods first, a worry echoed by several lawmakers reacting to the news.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said her office is watching the rollout closely, telling reporters, “We are outraged.” She warned that any ICE officer found misusing the devices in New York could face both civil and criminal consequences. Members of Congress, including Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Maxwell Frost, and Delia Ramirez, criticized the plan on social media, with Jayapal arguing the gloves give ICE an additional dangerous tool without making anyone safer, a sentiment that surfaced alongside unrelated political chatter this week, including Trump’s third-term comments that also circulated widely online.
According to WSLS, the push for the gloves comes as ICE is already facing scrutiny over its enforcement operations, and the no-bid contract could be finalized as early as Friday, running through March 31, 2027. Taser manufacturers have recently phased out similar pain-compliance features over misuse concerns, adding to the friction around ICE’s decision. The founder of Compliant Technologies LLC, the company behind the G.L.O.V.E., declined to comment as the agency moves toward finalizing the procurement.
Published: Aug 13, 2026 12:30 pm