- The DHS plans to purchase electric-shock gloves for ICE agents, raising significant concerns among critics.
- Critics, including former ICE acting director John Sandweg and Rep. Jayapal, expressed concerns about misuse, with Sandweg noting the risk that agents might use the gloves instead of lesser force.
- New York Attorney General Letitia James warned that ICE officers who misuse the gloves could face criminal and civil consequences.
- A pending lawsuit alleges a 43-year-old man died in 2024 after being shocked 27 times with the gloves and 13 more times by a Taser.
- An internal investigation found two glove shocks lasted 45 and 99 seconds, far more than the manufacturer's recommended 15-second limit.
- Rep. Jayapal stated that the gloves "won't make anyone safer and in fact just gives ICE another dangerous tool to target citizens and immigrants alike."
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is set to spend between $10 million and $20 million to provide ICE agents with electric-shock gloves, known as GLOVES (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter). These gloves can deliver a painful shock when activated, intended to gain compliance from resistant individuals.
However, concerns have been raised regarding their potential misuse. New York Attorney General Letitia James expressed outrage, warning that officers misusing the gloves could face criminal and civil consequences. She stated, "ICE is constantly assessing the needs of our officers in the field to ensure they have the tools and equipment necessary to safely arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our country."3
The gloves are marketed as nonlethal, but a pending lawsuit highlights a tragic incident where a man died after being shocked multiple times. Former ICE acting director John Sandweg voiced concerns about the gloves' accessibility, questioning whether agents might resort to using them too readily, stating, "Will they jump over lesser force that could be appropriate and successful to attain compliance and instead use this first?"2
The manufacturer warns against using the gloves on vulnerable populations, including the elderly and pregnant women, and specifies they should not be used for punishment or torture. Critics argue that this technology could exacerbate existing issues of violence and discrimination against immigrants.
“A pending lawsuit alleges a 43-year-old man died in 2024 after being shocked 27 times with the gloves and 13 more times by a Taser. An internal investigation found two glove shocks lasted 45 and 99 seconds, far exceeding the manufacturer's 15-second limit.”
