U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning to purchase electric shock gloves for its agents, a move that has drawn sharp criticism and warnings about potential dangers to the public. The agency intends to spend between $10 million and $20 million on the devices, known as the "GLOVE" or "Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter."
Compliant Technologies, the manufacturer, stated that the technology is designed not to cause injury and typically achieves compliance within three seconds. According to reports, the gloves deliver a voltage described as an "intense bee sting" and are not intended for use longer than 15 seconds. Historically, similar devices have been used primarily in confined settings like jails.
Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary for policy at the Department of Homeland Security, expressed concern over ICE acquiring such a tool. "This is asking for intense trouble for the American public," Kayyem stated on CNN. She noted that ICE is "not known for de-escalation" and that the agency's rules of engagement are not widely understood.
The planned purchase comes amid increased scrutiny of ICE agents' tactics and reports that the agency is facing pressure to meet a quota of 2,000 arrests per day. Kayyem suggested this mandate, reportedly originating from the White House, is political and could lead agents with less training and fewer rules of engagement to use the new tools aggressively to meet numerical targets.
"And with this mandate from the White House of 2,000 arrests a day, you now have sort of issued ICE to sort of go around, touch people and zap them and say that they’re not compliant," Kayyem said. She directly addressed the agency's credibility, stating, "We know ICE—I’m going to be direct here—we know ICE lies."
Kayyem concluded her warning by emphasizing the potential danger: "So giving them a new tool is dangerous with this mandate."