The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency plans to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks to officers and agents by March 2027. This was detailed in a notice published on Monday, August 11th, 2026, by the Department of Homeland Security.

The devices, known as Glove (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC, based in Lexington, Kentucky. According to the manufacturer, the shock "is usually effective in bringing individuals into compliance in less than three seconds" and causes discomfort without leaving burns, marks, or scars. The company markets the gloves as a "humane, low-optics, de-escalation solution for many situations facing our men and women in uniform."

The gloves function as normal patrol gloves until officers activate the electrical mode by pressing a switch. The electrical shock must be applied directly to a person's skin to deliver a pain stimulus that typically helps officers gain compliance within seconds.

John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, who is studying the device's use, described the sensation as "like a bee sting." He said, "If the officer is getting any type of resistance from the person, this is certainly an effective tool." Peters also noted that ICE's planned purchase would likely be the largest from the company to date.

However, concerns have been raised about the potential for misuse. A critic stated, "Now they will be able to deploy electric shocks with the slight push of a button that maybe nobody else can see them do. Introducing gloves that can so easily be used to deliver terrible pain in encounters is a recipe for harm to the public."

The gloves have previously been used in U.S. jail settings, and ICE's acquisition marks a significant expansion of their deployment.

Sources