U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to deploy electric-shock gloves as part of its toolkit to manage detainees and protests, despite concerns raised by a recent military study highlighting the intense pain inflicted by the devices.
According to a previously unreleased report from a 2024 military exercise at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, the gloves caused participants acting as combative prisoners to stop resisting immediately after receiving shocks. Some individuals experienced lingering discomfort, including soreness and heightened anxiety at the prospect of additional shocks. The gloves, branded G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter) and manufactured by Compliant Technologies of Lexington, Kentucky, were evaluated during scenarios designed to simulate forced cell removals, disturbances, and transports of uncooperative inmates.
The study found the devices increased the efficiency of teams conducting forced cell extractions and disturbance responses by shortening physical confrontations, reducing guard fatigue, and helping prevent injuries. It noted that the gloves facilitated rapid compliance and boosted confidence, particularly among smaller or less experienced officers. Unlike a Taser, which causes temporary paralysis, the electric shock works by overloading peripheral nerve endings to generate pain. Some participants reported amplified effects when their skin was wet or oily, with one describing discomfort lasting up to 30 minutes.
ICE finalized a $16.7 million contract in August 2026 to acquire 6,000 pairs of the gloves. The agency has characterized them as “distraction and de-escalation devices” intended to offer a safer alternative to other non-lethal force options during arrests, deportations, or civil disturbances. ICE officials have argued the devices will enhance officer safety and help avoid incidents escalating to lethal force.
However, advocacy groups and lawmakers have expressed alarm about the gloves’ potential for misuse and the lack of publicly available data confirming their safety. Chioma Chukwu, executive director of the watchdog group American Oversight, cautioned that the military report clearly showed the gloves inflict “intense pain” and promote compliance without establishing their safety for individuals subjected to them.
Concerns have been amplified by previous incidents involving the gloves’ combined use with Tasers, including one case in Kentucky where a man reportedly received 40 shocks and subsequently died. The man’s family has filed a lawsuit against authorities alleging misuse.
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, along with 15 other Democratic senators, sent a letter to ICE on August 27 requesting the agency halt the plan to procure the gloves or clarify how they would be managed to prevent abuse. As of early October, ICE had not responded to their inquiry, leaving questions about deployment and agent training unanswered.
Tom Homan, a White House official overseeing border policy, indicated the gloves’ full rollout could be delayed as ICE finalizes policies and training programs. The manufacturer declined to comment publicly.
The military report was released in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by American Oversight seeking records related to ICE’s use of force. The findings provide a rarely seen glimpse into the agency’s plans to adopt a device that some experts worry could further escalate tensions between immigration enforcement officers and those under their custody.