Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has purchased 6,000 pairs of shock gloves for $16.7 million despite an Army study revealing that the devices cause intense pain and immediate compliance. The gloves, known as G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), were tested in a military exercise at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas in October 2024.
Key Takeaways
ICE has purchased 6,000 pairs of shock gloves for $16.7 million despite an Army study showing they cause intense pain and immediate compliance. The devices will be used to control detainees and protesters.
- ICE aware of Army study findings before purchasing shock gloves
- Study found gloves caused 'intense pain' and immediate compliance during military exercise
- Critics warn gloves could be used to intimidate and brutalize people
- ICE plans to deploy gloves within six months, but training and policy issues remain
- Senator Catherine Cortez Masto seeks answers on glove deployment and agent training
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▼Source Claims Check
1 Difference FoundAll 4 publishers report consistent facts across 4 key claims. 1 point of difference noted.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice's Response To Inquiries | 1 Difference | Majority reports no response on study; CBS & LA Times note unanswered senators' letter. | ▼ |
| Glove Effectiveness | Broad Agreement | Gloves cause immediate compliance, reduce physical encounters. | |
| Ice's Stance On Gloves | Broad Agreement | ICE calls them 'distraction and de-escalation devices' safer than other options. | |
| Critics' Concerns | Broad Agreement | Critics warn gloves could intimidate, brutalize; not extensively used outside jails. | |
| Dhs's Position | Broad Agreement | DHS defends purchase, accuses critics of endangering officers. |
Ice's Response To Inquiries
▼Majority reports no response on study; CBS & LA Times note unanswered senators' letter.
Glove Effectiveness
Broad AgreementGloves cause immediate compliance, reduce physical encounters.
Ice's Stance On Gloves
Broad AgreementICE calls them 'distraction and de-escalation devices' safer than other options.
Critics' Concerns
Broad AgreementCritics warn gloves could intimidate, brutalize; not extensively used outside jails.
Dhs's Position
Broad AgreementDHS defends purchase, accuses critics of endangering officers.
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
According to records obtained by American Oversight and shared with the Associated Press, ICE leaders were aware of the study's findings before signing the contract. The study found that participants felt intense pain, stopped fighting immediately, and feared additional exposures after being shocked by the gloves. Several large-statured men who played the role of combative prisoners in the exercise stopped resisting seconds after officers applied shocks.
ICE has described the gloves as 'distraction and de-escalation devices' that will be safer than other non-lethal options for subduing targets for arrest, deportation, and protesters. The agency argues that the rapid compliance caused by the gloves will keep officers safer and prevent incidents from requiring potentially lethal force.
However, critics have warned that the gloves could give ICE another weapon to intimidate and brutalize people. The manufacturer warns against using the gloves on high-risk populations such as children, pregnant women, or disabled people. Chioma Chukwu, executive director of American Oversight, stated that 'the military assessment in ICE's own files shows that these gloves can cause intense pain and force compliance. It does not establish that they are safe.'
The Department of Homeland Security has defended the purchase, accusing critics of trying to deny federal law enforcement officers safety equipment. A DHS spokesperson called the pushback from Democrats 'despicable and a deliberate attempt to undermine and endanger our officers.' White House border czar Tom Homan has said it could be a while before the gloves are in the field due to training and policy issues.
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, along with 15 other Democratic Senate colleagues, sent a letter to ICE on August 27 calling for the agency to abandon its plan to buy the gloves or explain how they would be used and managed to avoid abuse. The senator stated that 'without ICE's responses to legitimate questions from 16 United States senators, the American public is being left in the dark about how these electric shock gloves are being deployed and what, if any, training the agents who use them have received.'
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 4 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.