Overview
- DHS has published a contracting notice seeking up to $10 million to $20 million for the G.L.O.V.E. gloves for ICE with deliveries possible by March 2027, which would move the device from limited local use toward a federal rollout.
- The G.L.O.V.E. is a button-activated glove that must touch exposed skin to deliver a painful electrical stimulus and is reported to operate at roughly 324–380 volts and 0.7–1.2 amps and to be ineffective through clothing or hair.
- Administration figures including White House border adviser Tom Homan have defended the gloves as a non‑lethal option that could reduce reliance on firearms, and the manufacturer and some jail officials stress training and recertification requirements.
- Civil-rights groups, state attorneys general, and human-rights organizations have condemned the plan and signaled legal review, citing documented incidents and pending lawsuits over the device’s use.
- Reporting has highlighted safety and oversight concerns including a 2024 death that investigators and litigation tie to repeated shocks, promotional footage and comments from the Kentucky maker Compliant Technologies, and questions about procurement practices and accountability.