ICE Awards $16.7 Million Contract for Electric Shock Gloves

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) awarded a $16.7 million no-bid contract to Compliant Technologies LLC for the purchase of 6,000 pairs of electric shock gloves. Described as conductive distraction and de-escalation devices, the gloves deliver painful shocks to gain compliance from resisting detainees and protesters in high-tension environments. ICE officials argue the tools provide a non-deadly alternative to firearms and will be used when subjects actively or passively resist to prevent injuries to both parties.

U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and 15 colleagues, including Independent Angus King, formally urged the agency to cancel the purchase. The senators cited a history of misuse of force in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Houston, and Maine, arguing that the agency lacks the professional capability and oversight to deploy the tools safely without harming Americans without cause.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and White House border czar Tom Homan defended the acquisition. The Department of Homeland Security dismissed the lawmakers' opposition as a despicable and deliberate attempt to undermine federal law enforcement and endanger officers by banning safety equipment.