Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and officers may soon be equipped with gloves that deliver electrical shocks, which the manufacturer says are intended to de-escalate encounters with individuals.
ICE is planning to spend between an estimated $10 and $20 million to purchase the devices, known as CTG 5 G.L.O.V.E, which stands for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, according to a notice published Monday by the Department of Homeland Security.
The devices would be delivered by March 31, 2027, according to the contract previewed on DHS’ portal for forecasting contract opportunities. It’s unclear how many DHS intends to purchase, the cost per glove and when officers would begin using them.
The notice comes as agencies enforcing immigration arrests face scrutiny over what critics call aggressive and dangerous tactics, and amid pressure from the Trump administration to make around 2,000 arrests a day.
The DHS portal referred to the devices as “a Conductive Distraction and De-escalation Device which will be issued to Homeland Security Investigations (H.S.I.) and Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) officers and agents.”
