Army Research Reveals Painful Effects of Ice's Shock Gloves
WHO:
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), American Oversight, Chioma Chukwu (executive director of American Oversight), Tom Homan (White House border czar), U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada), Compliant Technologies LLC (manufacturer of the gloves), Jeff Niklaus (owner of Compliant Technologies).
WHAT:
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - ICE leaders were aware of the findings of the Army study before signing the contract for the gloves.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The study found that participants experienced "fatigue, soreness and excessive apprehensiveness to being shocked again" after using the gloves.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The study indicated that the gloves "increased the efficiency" of teams during forced cell extractions and responses to disturbances.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The study reported that "inmate compliance was immediate" when using the gloves compared to other methods.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - One participant reported discomfort for 30 minutes after being shocked.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - ICE plans to spend between $10 and $20 million on electric shock gloves for agents.
[07:04 AM EDT] - ABC News - The manufacturer markets the glove as a "wearable de-escalation device" that can deliver a maximum voltage of up to 380 volts.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - ICE signed a $16.7 million contract to purchase 6,000 pairs of shock gloves.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The gloves caused participants in a military exercise to feel intense pain and stop fighting immediately.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The gloves are described as "distraction and de-escalation devices" by ICE.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The gloves cost $2,495 each.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The military study found that the gloves increased the efficiency of teams carrying out forced cell extractions and responding to disturbances.
WHERE:
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The military exercise took place at the military prison at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas.
WHEN:
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The military exercise occurred in October 2024.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - ICE's contract requires the manufacturer to deliver the gloves within six months.
WHY:
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - Critics argue that the gloves will provide ICE with another tool to intimidate and brutalize individuals.
[07:04 AM EDT] - ABC News - The Department of Homeland Security has defended the purchase, accusing critics of trying to deny federal law enforcement officers safety equipment.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - ICE argues that the rapid compliance caused by the gloves will keep officers safer and prevent incidents from requiring potentially lethal force.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - Critics warn that the gloves will give ICE another weapon to intimidate and brutalize people.
HOW:
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The gloves are described as easy to discharge and do not leave a mark on the skin.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The electric jolt from the gloves does not cause the body to freeze like a Taser shock does, but instead "works by overloading the peripheral nerve endings" of the skin to cause pain.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The gloves work by overloading the peripheral nerve endings of the skin to cause pain.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The study assessed the effectiveness of the gloves in forcibly removing combative prisoners and responding to disturbances.
[07:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The gloves should be used for up to 15 seconds unless the subject becomes more violent or endangers people.
(UPDATED October 7, 2026 16:07 UTC)
ICE leaders were aware of a recent Army study's findings before signing a contract for controversial gloves designed for use during forced cell extractions. The study revealed that while the gloves increased team efficiency and led to immediate inmate compliance, participants also reported feelings of fatigue, soreness, and discomfort lasting up to thirty minutes after being shocked. Critics are concerned that these gloves could serve as another tool for ICE to intimidate and brutalize individuals, despite their design being easy to discharge and leaving no marks on the skin.
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(UPDATED October 7, 2026 15:02 UTC)
ICE is planning to invest between $10 and $20 million in electric shock gloves for its agents, which are marketed as a "wearable de-escalation device" capable of delivering a maximum voltage of up to 380 volts. The Department of Homeland Security has defended this purchase, stating that critics are attempting to deny federal law enforcement officers essential safety equipment. Unlike a Taser, the electric jolt from these gloves does not cause the body to freeze; instead, it overloads the peripheral nerve endings of the skin to induce pain.
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(UPDATED October 7, 2026 12:00 UTC)
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has signed a $16.7 million contract to purchase 6,000 pairs of shock gloves, which are described as "distraction and de-escalation devices." These gloves, costing $2,495 each, were tested during a military exercise at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas in October 2024, where they caused participants to feel intense pain and stop fighting immediately. While ICE argues that these gloves will enhance officer safety and reduce the need for lethal force, critics warn they may serve as another tool for intimidation and brutality.