U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is acquiring $20 million worth of gloves designed to deliver electric shocks, a move that has drawn criticism from civil rights organizations. The agency plans to equip officers and agents within Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) with the technology, known as GLOVE.
According to the manufacturer's manual, the gloves are intended to come into contact with a subject's skin but can function through thin, wet clothing layers. The manual emphasizes that users must undergo training and be recertified every two years, considering factors such as officer experience, subject behavior, and the risk-benefit analysis of force.
The GLOVE system is described as a supplement to existing weapons and tools, not a replacement. Some law enforcement agencies already utilize the gloves, but the ICE purchase is expected to be Compliant Technologies' largest to date.
Civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have voiced significant concerns. Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy director on policing at the ACLU, stated that ICE has a history of disregarding the law and using excessive force, leading to devastating and sometimes fatal consequences. She added that equipping agents with a concealed means of delivering pain could result in increased harm and decreased accountability.
ICE has faced increased scrutiny in recent years, particularly concerning deaths that have occurred during immigration enforcement activities. Incidents include the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas and the killing of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero during an operation in Maine. The agency has also been under pressure to meet deportation targets.