ICE plans $20M purchase of electric shock gloves for officers
Immigration enforcement agency seeks to equip thousands of agents with G.L.O.V.E. devices by March amid civil rights concerns.
Conversation activity · last 10 hours peak 7/15m
Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 55 items across 6 sources · 2h ago. Quotes are verbatim.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced plans to spend up to $20 million purchasing thousands of G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter) gloves—devices that deliver painful electric shocks—for officers by March 2026. The no-bid contract notice, published by the Department of Homeland Security, has drawn sharp criticism from civil rights advocates who argue ICE officers already demonstrate excessive force with inadequate oversight.
- ICE plans to spend up to $20 million on G.L.O.V.E. electric shock gloves for thousands of officers by March 2026 through a no-bid contract.
- Civil rights advocates, particularly the ACLU, warn that ICE officers have demonstrated excessive force patterns and lack accountability, making them untrustworthy with pain-delivery devices.
- Supporters argue the devices are effective compliance tools that could benefit officers of smaller stature and shorter physical confrontations, though manufacturer restrictions prohibit use on children and other vulnerable populations.
- The devices function as normal patrol gloves until activated, deliver pain via skin contact, and can be deployed with minimal visibility to bystanders.
How it unfolded
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Reaction Social media calls for ICE abolition
Editorial board on Bluesky posts one-line call to 'Abolish ICE' in response to the glove purchase announcement, reflecting activist sentiment on social platforms.
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Department of Homeland Security publishes notice that ICE plans to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of G.L.O.V.E. devices (electric shock gloves) manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC for officers and agents by March. The solicitation for a no-bid contract could be published as early as Friday.
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Jenn Rolnick Borchetta of the ACLU's policing project expresses concern that ICE officers cannot be trusted to use the devices appropriately, given recent patterns of force and lack of accountability. She questions whether electric shock devices are necessary for civil immigration enforcement.
“ICE spent the last year showing this country they are too quick to use force. Now they will be able to deploy electric shocks with the slight push of a button that maybe nobody else can see them do.”
Jenn Rolnick Borchetta · Mastodon ↗ -
John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, defends the devices as effective for compliance and notes they could benefit officers of smaller stature or physical limitations by enabling faster takedowns and shorter confrontations.
“For smaller officers or weaker officers or older officers, I think it has a great advantage because it can produce faster takedowns and shorten confrontations.”
John Peters · Mastodon ↗
What people are saying verbatim
“ICE spent the last year showing this country they are too quick to use force. Now they will be able to deploy electric shocks with the slight push of a button that maybe nobody else can see them do.”
Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, Deputy project director on policing, ACLU · Associated Press ↗ · Aug 10
“Introducing gloves that can so easily be used to deliver terrible pain in encounters is a recipe for harm to the public.”
Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, Deputy project director on policing, ACLU · Associated Press ↗ · Aug 10
“It's immediate and sharp, and it will distract you. I call it like a bee sting.”
John Peters, President, Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths · Associated Press ↗ · Aug 10
“For smaller officers or weaker officers or older officers, I think it has a great advantage because it can produce faster takedowns and shorten confrontations.”
John Peters, President, Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths · Associated Press ↗ · Aug 10
“Unfortunately, we are unable to speak on this subject.”
Jeff Niklaus, Founder and CEO, Compliant Technologies LLC · Associated Press ↗ · Aug 10
“Abolish ICE.”
editorialboard.bsky.social, Editorial board on Bluesky · Bluesky ↗ · Aug 11, 6:18 PM
The conversation positions from the crowd, verbatim
The conversation is sharply divided between critics who see the glove purchase as an alarming expansion of force capabilities for an agency already prone to abuse, and limited support from device advocates who emphasize operational and officer-safety benefits. The tone among critics leans toward alarm and calls for institutional reform.
The dispute Whether ICE can be trusted to use electric shock devices responsibly given its documented force patterns and lack of accountability versus whether the operational benefits for officer safety justify procurement.
ICE purchasing these devices is dangerous and will lead to abuse given the agency's record of excessive force and lack of oversight.
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“ICE spent the last year showing this country they are too quick to use force. Now they will be able to deploy electric shocks with the slight push of a button that maybe nobody else can see them do.”
Jenn Rolnick Borchetta · Associated Press ↗ -
“Abolish ICE.”
editorialboard.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
The devices are effective compliance tools with legitimate operational value, particularly for officers facing physical disadvantages.
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“It's immediate and sharp, and it will distract you. I call it like a bee sting. If the officer is getting any type of resistance from the person, this is certainly an effective tool.”
John Peters · Associated Press ↗ -
“For smaller officers or weaker officers or older officers, I think it has a great advantage because it can produce faster takedowns and shorten confrontations.”
John Peters · Associated Press ↗
Voices from the web unedited
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"Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers may soon be outfitted with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks intended to gain compliance from combative individuals." Susan Collins & Congressional Republicans voted to fund all of this.
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I can't wait to see these fools shock their own dicks. https:// apnews.com/article/ice-electri c-shock-gloves-85ff746d3e0ee5f39e7a9a3f1f576252 # ICE # FuckICE
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Straight out of the “sick sticks” in “Minority Report.” Philip K. Dick would be proud. @apnews.com
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AP Exclusive: # ICE plans to give officers gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks ICE plans to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of “conductive distraction & de-escalation devices” for officers & agents by March, according to a notice published Monday by # DHS . # law # Trump # immigration # RightToProtest # CivilRights #…
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Let’s check in on what the masked paramilitary secret police are up to…
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Horrific:🚨 # ICE officers may soon be outfitted with gloves that can DELIVER PAINFUL ELECTRIC SHOCKS intended to gain compliance from combative individuals.🚨ICE plans on spending up to $20M to purchase 1000s of "distraction and de-escalation devices" by March. The gloves🚨must be directly to someone's skin to deliver a PAIN STIMULUS that…
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This is absolute madness. They’ll be giving them Iron Man suits next.
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AP Exclusive: ICE plans to give officers gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks https:// apnews.com/article/ice-electri c-shock-gloves-85ff746d3e0ee5f39e7a9a3f1f576252?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub Posted into News @ news-thenewsdesk
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WHAT THE MOTHER FUCKING FUCK ICE officers soon to be outfitted with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks intended to gain compliance. Spending up to $20,000,000 to buy thousands of “conductive distraction & de-escalation devices” #Pinks
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Today in Donald Trump's state-sponsored terrorism. https:// apnews.com/article/ice-electri c-shock-gloves-85ff746d3e0ee5f39e7a9a3f1f576252