ICE inks $16.7M shock-glove deal despite senators' concerns

• The CTG-5 Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, or G.L.O.V.E, is produced by Compliant Technologies, and their user guide says it should not be used against verbal defiance or as a form of punishment, Axios Avery Lotz writes.
• The manufacturer advises against using it on the elderly, children, pregnant women and those with serious disabilities.

Zoom in: "ICE requires a non-lethal, de-escalation device intended to diffuse situations of high-stress environments where physical altercations are likely, such as field domestic disputes or inmate transport in jails," the contract paperwork filed by the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday reads.

• "It will be used when a subject is actively or passively resisting and an officer needs to gain control quickly to prevent injuries to both parties."
• According to a DHS notice published earlier this month, ICE officers must complete G.L.O.V.E. training and re-certification every two years.
• Compliant Technologies did not respond to Axios' request for comment.

What they're saying: Sixteen senators sent ICE a letter Thursday expressing "deep concern" about the purchase and questioning the agency's "professional capability to safely deploy" the gloves.

• The senators said that if ICE does acquire the gloves, it must publicly establish strict, enforceable limits on how they are deployed.
• "A device capable of delivering an electrical shock through direct contact with an individual presents substantial risks if deployed during civil arrests – even more so if it is deployed without clear limits, appropriate training, and comprehensive oversight," they wrote.
• The senators also said the acquisition "raises serious questions about necessity, proportionality, medical safety, training, accountability, and constitutional rights."

• "Those questions are particularly important given the significant public scrutiny surrounding ICE's excessive use of force."

Between the lines: An analysis of 1,213 cases from January through December 2025 found that at least 375 incidents involved force or threatened force, according to the ACLU.

• That includes 241 cases that involved physical force.

The other side: "Sanctuary politicians attempting to ban our federal law enforcement from any safety equipment is despicable and a deliberate attempt to undermine and endanger our officers," a Homeland Security spokesperson told Axios in an emailed statement.

• "To be crystal clear: we will not abide by unconstitutional bans."
• "Congressional Democrats have made it clear that they no longer support the brave men and women of ICE, and the inflammatory rhetoric they and their allies have levied against them has led to unprecedented levels of threats and assaults."

Go deeper: Trump's deportation push is rewiring U.S. policing, ACLU report says