ICE Plans $20m Shock-Glove Purchase Amid Immigration Crackdown

By Staff, Agencies

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] is preparing to spend up to $20 million on electric shock gloves for field officers, drawing criticism from rights advocates amid the Trump administration’s intensifying immigration crackdown.

According to a Department of Homeland Security procurement notice, the devices are designed to deliver an electric shock to disrupt a person’s ability to respond.

DHS describes them as “Conductive Distraction and De-escalation Devices” for officers with Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement Removal Operations.

Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union warned that concealed shock devices could enable abuse and reduce accountability, as ICE faces growing scrutiny over its treatment of immigrants and detainees. DHS defended the purchase, saying officers receive de-escalation and ongoing use-of-force training.

The planned acquisition comes amid wider controversy over ICE operations, including fatal shootings of two US citizens in Minnesota and concerns over detention conditions.

ICE says more than 50 people have lost their lives in its custody since Trump took office in January 2025.

Against this backdrop, the electric shock gloves mark another expansion of the coercive tools available to immigration officers as Trump’s administration escalates arrests, detention and deportations.