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Group of Democratic senators calls on ICE to cancel plan to buy electric shock gloves
Democratic senators said the $16.7 million plan could be misused without clear limits, training and oversight.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement finalized a $16.7 million no-bid contract this week to purchase 6,000 electric shock gloves from Kentucky-based Compliant Technologies LLC.
The Department of Homeland Security described the devices as "conductive distraction and de-escalation devices," claiming they help officers gain compliance when individuals are actively or passively resisting.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and 15 Democratic senators urged ICE on Thursday to abandon the purchase, warning that shock devices during civil arrests present "substantial risks."
A DHS spokesperson called the Democratic pushback "despicable and a deliberate attempt to undermine and endanger our officers," asserting personnel receive "highly trained" de-escalation instruction.
Past misuse in local jails, including a 2024 death and lawsuits, has prompted skepticism about ICE's capacity to safely deploy the technology given recent use-of-force controversies.