ICE Proposes Electrified Gloves for Agents to Enforce Compliance
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning to invest up to $20 million in specialized gloves designed to deliver painful electric shocks to officers and agents. This initiative was detailed in a notice from the Department of Homeland Security, with an unspecified number of these devices expected to be delivered by March 2027.
The gloves in question are the CTG 5 GLOVE (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), which the manufacturer, Compliant Technologies, refers to as a CD3 (Conductive Distraction and De-escalation) device. The company claims it offers “a great, humane, low-optics, de-escalation solution” that can effectively bring individuals into compliance in under three seconds.
The shock feature can be activated almost instantly via a switch on the glove, delivering a maximum voltage of up to 380V upon contact with skin—more akin to a dog’s shock collar than a taser. According to the user guide, this feature “inhibits/distracts the subject from performing coordinated muscle movement.” The guide also includes several warnings: only one pair should be used on an individual at a time, shocks should not exceed 15 seconds, and the gloves should not be used on high-risk populations such as children, the elderly, pregnant individuals, or those with disabilities.
Compliant Technologies markets the CD3 gloves as an “invisible partner” that enhances existing tactics and procedures, dubbing them “The New Protocol in Peace Keeping.” Similar gloves from the same manufacturer have already been deployed by select police departments and correctional facilities, with two corrections officers facing charges in 2022 for using them to assault and shock an inmate.
ICE has a track record of exercising power with minimal oversight, often employing aggressive tactics. The agency has been known to intimidate individuals at their homes, engage in mass surveillance, and even cause fatalities in public settings. The introduction of these shocking gloves represents yet another method for inflicting harm.
The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly preparing a response to press inquiries but has not provided immediate comments regarding the purchase plans. Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy project director on policing at the American Civil Liberties Union, expressed concerns about the necessity of such devices for civil immigration enforcement, stating, “ICE spent the last year showing this country they are too quick to use force. 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.”
