ICE Eyes $20 Million Contract for Electric Shock Gloves

The devices, branded as G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter) and manufactured by Kentucky-based Compliant Technologies, function as standard patrol gloves until a switch is activated. Once triggered, the gloves deliver a sharp, localized shock upon contact with skin. John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, describes the sensation as akin to a bee sting, noting that the tool is intended to shorten confrontations by distracting combative subjects during arrests or facility transfers.

While the manufacturer suggests the technology offers a safer alternative for smaller or older officers needing to gain compliance, critics remain deeply skeptical. Jenn Rolnick Borchetta of the American Civil Liberties Union argued that ICE has already demonstrated a pattern of excessive force, warning that concealed, button-activated shocks could lead to widespread abuse. Despite the manufacturer’s internal guidelines—which explicitly prohibit using the gloves on children, pregnant women, or as a punitive measure—advocates point to the lack of oversight within current immigration enforcement operations as a primary concern. Should the solicitation proceed as planned, this purchase would represent the largest deployment of the technology to date.