Trump administration plans to give ICE officers electric-shock gloves

US Department of Homeland Security is expected to buy up to $20m in gloves amid criticism of the president’s immigration crackdown.The administration of United States President Donald Trump is planning to spend tens of millions of dollars to equip federal immigration agents with gloves capable of delivering electric shocks.According to a notice posted on Monday, the Department of Homeland Security has estimated it will invest between $10m and $20m in such gloves by the end of March 2027.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Most Americans say Trump has gone too far on US immigration: Polllist 2 of 4Salvadoran man dies in ICE custody at New Jersey detention centrelist 3 of 4Protesters demand answers from ICE after second man dies at Delaney Halllist 4 of 4US courts clear way for deportations of South Sudan, Myanmar nationalsend of listThe devices are known as the CT-G5 G.L.O.V.E., an acronym that stands for “Generate Low Output Voltage Emitter”. They are currently used by some jails and police departments.Their manufacturer, Compliant Technologies, says the gloves are used to “quickly distract with small uncomfortable electrical pulses” when applied to a person’s skin. The Department of Homeland Security indicated they would be used for “distraction and de-escalation”.A user manual states the gloves can deliver a maximum of 380 volts, which “inhibits/distracts the subject from performing coordinated muscle movement”.The planned purchase has already sparked a backlash among rights advocates, who fear the gloves will be used to harm protesters and immigrants in the department’s custody.The Department of Homeland Security oversees an array of agencies, including immigration-and-customs-enforcement" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="142597" data-entity-type="organization">immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has led Trump’s campaign of mass deportation.Monday’s announcement specified that ICE has a requirement to make the purchase and distribute the gloves to agents within Enforcement and Removal Operations, one of its subsidiaries, and Homeland Security Investigations.