The Trump Administration's plan to allocate up to $20 million to purchase thousands of gloves capable of applying electric shocks to people during immigration operations provoked a strong reaction from Democratic congressmen and civil rights organizations.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is considering acquiring these devices, known as G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) presents them as “distraction and de-escalation” tools intended to control situations in which a person offers physical resistance.

The federal notice establishes an investment that could reach $20 million. The equipment is manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC, based in Lexington, Kentucky, and has previously been used by some police departments and correctional facilities in the United States.

Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), questioned the decision and accused ICE of having ample resources to develop new ways of using force. “Arming poorly trained officers with electric shock gloves to inflict pain on our neighbors is disgusting and barbaric,” Matos said in a statement included in the information provided.

Congresswoman Delia Ramírez, Democrat of Illinois, also rejected the plan and maintained in X that “under no circumstances” should DHS be entrusted with a team of these characteristics. For his part, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Democrat of Florida, questioned whether public funds were used to acquire the devices.

ICE defends gloves as an alternative to the use of deadly force

The Trump Administration maintains that gloves can become a tool to reduce the risk of confrontations and avoid resorting to potentially more dangerous methods of force. White House border czar Tom Homan recently defended the project, saying it is an alternative for situations that could end in the use of lethal force.

The devices function like conventional gloves until the agent flips a switch. When they come into direct contact with the skin, they can produce a discharge that generates pain and temporarily affects muscle control. The manufacturer claims that stimulation can trigger compliance with commands in a matter of seconds.

However, specialists and civil rights groups have warned that the discreet nature of the device could make it difficult to monitor its use. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) questioned whether agents can activate a discharge with a movement that is not visible to people around them.

Activists question use of force during immigration raids

The controversy comes as ICE faces criticism for its use of force during its operations. In recent months, several deadly incidents involving immigration agents have intensified the debate over the protocols used during arrests and detentions.

The ACLU and other organizations believe that training, supervision and accountability should be strengthened before incorporating new tools of coercion. The plan also raises concern about the restrictions that the manufacturer itself establishes for certain groups considered to be at higher risk, including children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with disabilities.

The discussion over the gloves adds to a broader debate in Washington over ICE's funding and powers. While the Administration defends greater resources to reinforce immigration operations, its critics maintain that any expansion of these capabilities must be accompanied by strict controls to prevent abuses.

For now, the acquisition plan remains under the scrutiny of legislators and civil organizations, who are demanding explanations about the rules that would determine when and how electric shocks could be used during immigration operations.

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