Concerns Over ICE’s Plan for Shock Gloves Deployment

Civil liberties groups raise alarms over ICE’s $20 million plan to supply officers with controversial electric-shock gloves linked to past incidents.

Civil liberties groups are sounding alarms over a controversial plan that would equip Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers with special gloves capable of delivering electric shocks. The news follows a series of high-profile lawsuits concerning the use of this technology in local correctional facilities.

The gloves, which can inflict electric shocks, have been implicated in serious incidents, including the death of a 43-year-old man in a Kentucky jail. This individual was allegedly shocked a staggering 40 times by officers using both the gloves and a Taser. The deceased’s widow is currently suing local authorities over the incident.

Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—ICE’s parent agency—announced plans to spend up to $20 million to outfit its officers with the contentious gloves by March of the coming year. These gloves are already being employed in various police departments and educational settings across the country.

Critics argue that the federal agency has a history of unregulated force, particularly during the immigration policies enacted under former President Donald Trump. Sarah Mehta, deputy director of government affairs for the ACLU’s equality division, expressed grave concerns. “ICE is putting these gloves in the hands of an agency that has dropped its hiring standards, its training, its background requirements in its hiring spree,” she stated. “We’re already seeing the consequences of that in lawless and violent enforcement actions in our streets,” she added.

Mehta elaborated on the frightening prospect of these gloves being used in public. “What’s really terrifying is their potential employment on the streets, potentially to terrify people and create a chilling effect. What also raises concern is their use in settings where we can’t see them, like Fort Bliss, where allegations of abuse are prevalent,” she noted.

Each glove, aptly named G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), is produced by Compliant Technologies, a company owned by military veterans. While the device is sold exclusively to verified entities such as law enforcement and medical personnel, it requires special training. The gloves emit shocks when the user presses a button and contacts bare skin.

In one demonstration involving the gloves, a volunteer cried out after a brief touch to his lower back, saying, “Ow, fuck.” In another instance, a man buckled to the ground after being held with the gloves for two seconds, laughing nervously as he remarked, “I’m going to comply any time.” The CEO of Compliant Technologies, Jeff Niklaus, was present during the demonstration, commenting lightheartedly.

The gloves have been utilized by a number of law enforcement agencies, with an estimated 50 police departments across 20 states already employing this technology. For instance, the Omaha police department procured 40 pairs of the gloves for use in public schools at a cost of just under $66,000. Currently, 29 of their 34 school resource officers have trained in their usage.

However, in a recent development, the Omaha police department has agreed to halt their use of the gloves in the city’s largest school district, responding to requests from local school administrators.

Legal actions connected to the gloves are also mounting. Joshua Elswick, former detainee at a Kentucky jail, filed a lawsuit alleging excessive force after officers used the gloves on him while he was still undergoing a mental health crisis. Surveillance footage of the incident was cited in the suit, capturing the tension as he resisted arrest due to paranoia about being killed.

The state of Kentucky is now embroiled in multiple lawsuits related to the use of electric-shock gloves. Among the more serious allegations, Joshua Elswick claims he was shocked after officers attempted to remove his restraints, while another case has emerged involving a man who allegedly suffered cardiac arrest after being repeatedly shocked.

As legal challenges grow and civil rights advocates push back against the deployment of these gloves, the DHS maintains that it is continually evaluating the needs of its officers. A spokesperson stated, “Every decision is made with careful consideration and appropriately reviewed to ensure that any technology ICE utilizes is consistent with all applicable law enforcement policies and standards.” With legal scrutiny and public backlash intensifying, it remains to be seen how this plan will unfold.