The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's plan calls for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel to use G.L.O.V.E. gloves capable of delivering electric shocks.
The equipment can also be used as regular duty gloves. When the system on the gloves is activated, it delivers an electrical stimulus through direct contact with the skin. The feature is intended to overcome a person's physical resistance quickly.
Up to $20 million to be allocated for purchase
ICE plans to spend between $10 million and $20 million on the equipment and purchase thousands of gloves. The gloves are expected to be delivered by March 2027.
The equipment is expected to be provided to personnel serving in ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) units. Similar gloves are already being used by some U.S. prisons and police departments.
Manufacturer limits permitted uses
The manufacturer says the gloves should not be used as punishment or against people who are only verbally objecting. The company also warns against using them on children, pregnant women, older people and people with disabilities.
The plan has drawn a response from civil rights organizations. The ACLU described the ability to deliver an electric shock with a single button and the difficulty of detecting it from the outside as risks of misuse.