WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to spend up to $20 million to equip officers and agents with specialized gloves capable of delivering electric shocks, according to a Department of Homeland Security procurement notice published this week.
The devices, known as the CTG 5 G.L.O.V.E., or Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC of Lexington, Kentucky. DHS said the planned acquisition is intended for ICE personnel in its Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations divisions, with delivery expected by March 2027.
The manufacturer describes the gloves as a conductive distraction and de-escalation device designed to help officers gain compliance through direct physical contact. Unlike a conventional conducted-energy weapon, the electrical components are integrated into gloves that otherwise function as standard protective equipment.
The procurement notice estimates the potential value of the contract at between $10 million and $20 million. The notice does not specify how many gloves ICE intends to purchase or the precise timing for their deployment to officers.
Civil liberties groups have raised concerns about the planned acquisition, particularly over how the devices could be used during immigration enforcement operations. The American Civil Liberties Union questioned the need for the technology in civil immigration enforcement and warned that the ability to deliver an electric shock through a glove could increase the risk of excessive force.
The gloves have already been used by some U.S. law-enforcement and correctional agencies. Public records show local authorities have purchased or adopted policies governing the use of G.L.O.V.E. devices, while federal court records have described their use in a Kentucky detention facility.
Manufacturer guidance cited in reporting on the procurement warns against using the devices on certain vulnerable groups, including children, elderly people, pregnant people and people with disabilities. The guidance also places limits on how the devices should be applied.
The technology has also been studied independently. A 2019 paper indexed by the U.S. National Library of Medicine examined the G.L.O.V.E.'s electrical output and its performance against relevant international electrical standards.
The Department of Homeland Security had not provided a detailed public explanation of the acquisition as of Thursday. The procurement notice remains the latest confirmed indication of the planned purchase, with delivery targeted for March 2027.
