Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to spend up to $20 million on electric-shock gloves for officers and agents, according to The Verge and a BBC report surfaced in the cluster, both citing a Department of Homeland Security notice published Monday. The device is the Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, or GLOVE, made by Compliant Technologies. The Verge identifies the model as the CTG 5 GLOVE and says the DHS notice calls for an unspecified quantity to be delivered by March 2027. The BBC reports that a no-bid purchase contract could be published as early as Friday, according to DHS. The gloves are designed to deliver a painful electric shock when they contact skin. Both outlets report a maximum output of up to 380 volts. The BBC says the devices can deliver up to 30 pulses per second and include built-in microprocessors that record activations. The Verge, citing the user guide, says the shock feature can be activated in about a second via a switch on the glove. Compliant Technologies markets the product as a low-visibility compliance and de-escalation tool. The Verge reports that the company refers to the devices as CD3, for Conductive Distraction and De-escalation, and describes them as an “invisible partner” for law-enforcement tactics. The BBC quotes Compliant Technologies’ website as saying the gloves do not cause injury and are used by many agencies. The user guidance cited by both outlets includes limits and warnings. The Verge says the guide warns not to use more than one pair on a single person, not to shock someone for more than 15 seconds, and not to use the device on high-risk populations including children, elderly people, pregnant people, or disabled people. The BBC cites a manual recommending avoidance for elderly people, small children, pregnant women, and the severely handicapped, and says it recommends having an additional officer present to restrain the subject while the gloves are used. The BBC reports that the gloves differ from a taser because they do not use barbs or complete an electrical circuit inside the body. Instead, the device delivers a sharp shock on exposed skin to gain compliance. The BBC quotes a Tennessee jail administrator describing the gloves as a “pain deterrence” tool and saying officers may touch clothing first, then move to exposed skin if a person becomes combative. The planned procurement would cover officers and agents in Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations, according to the BBC’s description of the DHS note. HSI targets transnational criminal organizations; ERO handles arrests, detention, and deportations of people who violate U.S. immigration laws. Civil-rights groups are objecting to the plan. Both reports cite concern from the American Civil Liberties Union. The Verge quotes Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy project director on policing at the ACLU, questioning why such devices would be necessary for civil immigration enforcement and warning that a glove-activated shock could be used with little visibility to bystanders. DHS did not offer immediate comment to AP when The Verge reported its story. The BBC later reported a DHS statement saying ICE is “constantly assessing” what officers need in the field to safely arrest and remove “criminal illegal aliens.” Compliant Technologies told the BBC it could not comment on the sale. Who benefits: Compliant Technologies would be the direct commercial beneficiary if the purchase proceeds. ICE officers and agents would gain access to another compliance tool, according to the procurement descriptions cited by the outlets. Who's exposed: People stopped, arrested, detained, or removed by ICE would face the immediate risk of contact with the devices if deployed. DHS and ICE would also face scrutiny over training, activation records, use limits, and compliance with warnings in the user materials.