Immigration and Customs Enforcement is preparing to purchase up to $20 million worth of electric shock gloves to outfit field agents during immigration arrests across the country. Known officially as the Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter (G.L.O.V.E.), the device looks like an ordinary pair of leather work gloves until an officer flips a hidden switch on the back to deliver painful voltage directly to a person’s bare skin. According to procurement notices published by the Department of Homeland Security, the agency intends to issue these devices to thousands of officers in Enforcement and Removal Operations as well as Homeland Security Investigations by early 2027.
How ICE Electric Shock Gloves Work on the Street
Manufactured by Kentucky-based Compliant Technologies, the G.L.O.V.E. is designed to deliver a high-voltage, low-amp electrical pulse that stimulates sensory nerves and forces rapid compliance. The company markets the gear as a lightweight “force multiplier” that helps officers physically control resisting individuals without needing to draw heavy weapons.
Unlike standard Tasers that fire metal darts from a distance, ICE electric shock gloves require an agent to place their hand directly against exposed skin to pass the electrical current.
Truthout. Industry experts describe the sensation as an intense, sharp prick similar to a severe bee sting, which usually forces a person to stop moving within three seconds. The manufacturer’s user manual explicitly instructs officers not to use the device on pregnant women, elderly people, young children, or individuals who are only showing verbal defiance.
Civil Rights Concerns Over ICE Electric Shock Gloves
The potential rollout of ICE electric shock gloves has sparked immediate pushback from civil rights advocates and legal oversight organizations. Critics point out that because the devices look identical to standard tactical gloves, agents could inflict severe pain on individuals without bystanders or camera operators noticing.
Feature Standard Conducted Energy Weapons (Tasers) ICE Electric Shock Gloves (G.L.O.V.E.)
Deployment Range Fires darts up to 15–25 feet away Requires direct physical hand contact
Visual Appearance Brightly colored pistol-style weapon Looks like standard black leather work gloves
Activation Method Visible trigger pull Hidden toggle switch on the back of the hand
Primary Risk Barb punctures and fall injuries Undocumented use due to low visual visibility
Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union argue that giving shock equipment to immigration officers during high-stress arrests creates a recipe for abuse. Past court records show that similar shock gloves used in regional county jails previously led to criminal charges against guards who used them to assault inmates in custody.
Truthout
My Opinion
Spending tens of millions of dollars to put shock devices directly on the hands of immigration agents is a dangerous idea that will almost certainly lead to unchecked abuse on American streets.
The biggest problem with these gloves is how easy they are to hide. When a police officer pulls a Taser or a baton, everyone nearby can clearly see a weapon being drawn. Cameras pick it up, and witnesses know force is being used. But these shock gloves look just like regular leather work gear. An agent can hold someone down, turn on the power with a tiny switch, and shock them repeatedly while looking completely passive to onlookers and mobile phone cameras. That lack of visual accountability is scary.
We have already seen how quickly immigration enforcement tactics can escalate during street arrests and traffic stops. Adding a hidden pain tool into that mix will not de-escalate anything. It will only increase fear, trigger panic in target communities, and make public interactions far more volatile. If an agency cannot carry out routine civil arrests without resorting to electrifying human skin, the issue is a complete lack of basic training and discipline, not a shortage of high-tech gear.
Bottom Line
Spending $20 million to put ICE electric shock gloves on federal agents isn’t about officer safety or modern de-escalation, it is a deliberate attempt to make physical coercion invisible to the public. When pain-administering technology is disguised as everyday work gear, the line between lawful enforcement and unchecked cruelty vanishes. A free society cannot claim to uphold basic human rights while handing armed officers hidden tools designed to inflict pain at the push of a button. If the Department of Homeland Security moves forward with this deal, it sends a clear and dangerous message: that public oversight is optional, and that pain is an acceptable substitute for due process.
