U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is considering spending up to $20 million on wearable gloves capable of delivering electrical shocks, according to a contract notice from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The devices, known as the CTG 5 G.L.O.V.E., are marketed by manufacturer Compliant Technologies LLC as tools designed to help law enforcement officers de-escalate confrontations and gain control of individuals without immediately resorting to other forms of force.
The DHS notice estimates the potential contract at between $10 million and $20 million, with the devices expected to be delivered by March 31, 2027. It remains unclear how many gloves ICE intends to purchase, their individual cost or when agents would begin using them.
The gloves can be switched to an electrical mode and, according to the manufacturer’s manual, deliver up to 380 volts. The company says the electrical stimulation is intended to disrupt coordinated muscle movement and distract a person during an encounter.
The manufacturer’s guidelines limit how the devices should be used and warn against deploying them as punishment or against certain vulnerable individuals, including pregnant people, elderly people and small children. Users are also required to undergo certification and periodic recertification.
The proposed purchase comes as ICE faces increased scrutiny over its use of force during immigration enforcement operations. The Trump administration has also pushed immigration agencies to significantly increase the number of arrests.
Civil rights and immigration advocacy groups have strongly criticized the proposal. Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, described the plan as dangerous and questioned the use of electric shock devices in civil immigration enforcement.
The American Civil Liberties Union also expressed concern, arguing that ICE’s record on the use of force raises questions about whether officers would use the gloves appropriately.
Similar devices have previously been used in correctional facilities. In South Carolina, two corrections officers were charged in 2022 after allegedly beating and shocking an inmate with a wearable G.L.O.V.E. device.
DHS said a solicitation for the proposed no bid contract could be published as early as Friday. The agency and Compliant Technologies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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