Overview
- Federal contracting documents posted Monday show DHS is seeking up to $20 million to buy G.L.O.V.E. devices for Immigration and Customs Enforcement with possible deliveries by March 2027.
- The gloves, made by Compliant Technologies and marketed as a Conductive Distraction and De‑Escalation Device, are button‑activated and only deliver a shock on direct contact with exposed skin.
- White House border czar Tom Homan defended the gloves as a step between no force and lethal force and said deployment will wait for training and protocols to be developed.
- Civil‑rights groups including the ACLU warned the concealed shock capability risks misuse, reduced accountability, and medical harm, and watchdogs note past internal reviews and lawsuits over similar devices.
- Some local jails and police have used comparable gloves with mixed experience, so the federal rollout will hinge on contract details, training standards, body‑camera rules, and oversight arrangements.