Stop electric shock glove plan for ICE: U.S. lawmakers to Trump administration

Indian American Congressman Shri Thanedar and two others have asked the U.S. government to immediately halt the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) plan to procure electric shock gloves for its officers.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Mr. Thanedar, the ranking member of the Congressional subcommittee on oversight, investigations and accountability, warned that using gloves capable of delivering electric shocks could be abused by ICE personnel and result in injury or death.

ICE plans to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices” for officers and agents by March.

The Department of Homeland Security described the gloves, capable of delivering painful electric shocks, as a “de-escalation device.” “Given ICE’s horrific record of violence against the public, the agency must not be allowed to equip its officers and agents with a device that demands both significant training for and restraint by its users,” Mr. Thanedar, Bennie Thompson and Lou Correa said in the letter to Mullin on Friday.

Mr. Thompson is the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, while Correa and Mr. Thanedar are ranking members of the congressional subcommittees on Border Security and Enforcement, and Oversight, Investigations and Accountability, respectively.

“Under Trump, ICE has hired unqualified officers and agents and rushed them through training programs with reduced use of force instruction. Many of these officers and agents should not have been hired at all, much less let loose on American streets with a badge, a gun, and electric shock gloves,” the lawmakers said.

The Members urged Secretary Mullin to intervene and halt the procurement before it moves forward, warning that the devices could be incorrectly used or abused by ICE personnel and result in further injury or death.

ICE is facing criticism for use of aggressive tactics as it carries out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

ICE agents have deployed pepper spray against protestors, dragged people out of vehicles and fatally shot at least six people during Mr. Trump’s second term in office, leading to calls for greater accountability.