US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers may soon be outfitted with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks as they carry out their law enforcement duties. The plan was unveiled in a recent notice published by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and has been condemned by Democratic elected officials and civil rights activists. According to the notice, ICE plans to spend $10-20 million providing officers and agents with so-called “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices". The devices are known as G.L.O.V.E., which stands for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, and operate as regular patrol gloves until an officer presses a button to activate the electricity. The gloves can deliver shocks of up to 380 volts of electricity and are intended to gain compliance from people who are resisting. Speaking at a news conference after the plan was unveiled, New York Attorney General Letitia James said it “appears to be in violation of a number of laws, including our constitution.” Civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have also expressed concern about the use of such devices by law enforcement. Naureen Shah, director of policy and government affairs for immigration with the ACLU, said the idea of handing ICE agents such a weapon is “reckless and surprising.” The DHS, which oversees ICE, issued a statement addressing the plan but did not mention the product specifically or explain why it had been chosen. The company that makes the gloves, Compliant Technologies LLC, states on its website that they do not cause injury and are used by many agencies.
