US Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to spend up to $20 million on thousands of hand-held electrical shock devices known as G.L.O.V.E. systems. The procurement notice, published by the Department of Homeland Security, targets delivery by March 2027 and has drawn immediate concern from civil liberties organizations over accountability and force.
Federal Procurement Documents Reveal Plan for Thousands of Shock Gloves
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement is planning to equip thousands of its officers with touch-activated tactical gloves capable of delivering electrical shocks through direct skin contact. Federal procurement documents published by the Department of Homeland Security detail a proposed no-bid purchase that could cost between $10 million and $20 million.
The equipment is officially described in government files as a conductive distraction and de-escalation device, or CD3. Commercially known as the G.L.O.V.E. system—which stands for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter—the gear is manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC, based in Lexington, Kentucky.
The planned acquisition would significantly expand the use of the technology within federal immigration enforcement. According to technical information from the manufacturer, the gloves can deliver electrical pulses ranging from about 210 volts to 362 volts.
Deployment Across Investigative and Enforcement Operations
According to Department of Homeland Security notes, the devices would be issued to officers and agents within two major divisions: Homeland Security Investigations, which targets transnational criminal organizations, and Enforcement Removal Operations, which handles the arrest, detention, and deportation of individuals who violate immigration laws. The agency seeks to acquire the devices through a proposed no-bid contract with delivery expected by March 31, 2027.
While some law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities have used the system on a limited basis in recent years, the planned ICE purchase is believed to be the largest from Compliant Technologies to date. Manufacturer manual guidelines specify that officers must be trained and certified to use the electric-shock gloves, with recertification required every two years.
How the Shock Mechanism Operates in the Field
Unlike traditional tasers that fire barbs into the skin to deliver up to 50,000 volts and complete an electrical circuit inside the body, the G.L.O.V.E. system functions differently. The gear is designed to look and function like a conventional pair of tactical gloves until an officer pushes a small button to activate the electrical feature.
The system requires direct contact with exposed skin to deliver its stimulus. Lt Butch Gallion, an administrator at the Hawkins County jail in Tennessee, explained that the shocks can only be delivered when contacting skin, allowing an officer to touch clothing first and then move toward exposed areas like the wrist or elbow if a subject resists.
Lt Butch Gallion, administrator at Hawkins County jail in Tennessee, stated that they may or may not deploy the devices, noting that it simply depends on how individuals act and that a light displays when the button is pushed to turn them on.
Jon Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, who has studied the device, noted that the stimulus is designed to cause an immediate pain response comparable to a bee sting, distracting a subject long enough for restraint.
If the officer is receiving any type of resistance from the person, this is definitely an effective tool. Jon Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths
Manufacturer guidance warns that the devices should not be used as punishment against individuals showing only verbal defiance, nor should they be deployed against vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, children, the elderly, or people with disabilities.
Civil Liberties Groups Raise Alarms Over Accountability
The procurement plan has drawn strong opposition from civil rights organizations, who argue that giving federal agents a concealed tool for inflicting pain increases the risk of excessive force during enforcement operations. Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy director on policing at the American Civil Liberties Union, criticized the move in light of recent enforcement fatalities and pressure on the agency to meet daily arrest targets.
Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy director on policing at the American Civil Liberties Union
Advocacy groups emphasize that immigration enforcement operations frequently take place in crowded, unpredictable environments such as homes, vehicles, and detention facilities. Critics argue that providing officers with a concealed means of delivering pain creates a recipe for more harm to the public and diminishes institutional accountability.
