Homan Defends ICE Shock Gloves as Nonlethal

Homan said the gloves give officers another less-lethal option, similar to Tasers or pepper spray, on the streets and in detention facilities.

DHS said in a statement that "every decision is made with careful consideration and appropriately reviewed to make sure that any technology ICE utilizes is consistent with all applicable law enforcement policies and standards," adding that "our officers are highly trained in de-escalation techniques."

Hall, the Kentucky jailer, said the shocks do not incapacitate people or leave contact or burn marks, unlike Tasers. He estimated he had been shocked more than 10 times in training and said the pain was intense but stops the moment the glove leaves the skin. "It's just a safer way. It's safer on the inmate. It's safer on the staff. And most of the time, most of the time we get compliance," he said.

The plan has drawn intense criticism from civil rights groups, Democrats in Congress and some use-of-force experts, who say ICE agents have been too quick to use force during President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. At least six people have been shot and killed by immigration enforcement agents since last year, including motorists last month in Maine and Texas.

"ICE has broken that trust with the public ... the mission is simply to scare," said Naureen Shah, director of policy and government affairs in immigration with the American Civil Liberties Union.

Geoffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina, said ICE would be wiser to start with a smaller purchase given how little is known about the devices. "User error is almost predictable at some level," he said. "The tech may be fine, but let's take a minute and make sure that it is used in an appropriate custom and practice."

John Sandweg, a former acting ICE director under the Obama administration, questioned the plan, citing what he called a decline in training and oversight at the agency during the second Trump administration. The administration has said training has not declined. Sandweg estimated ICE could buy 10,000 to 15,000 pairs.

Bryanna Fox, a criminology professor at the University of South Florida and a former FBI agent, said the technology could push the public to evade agents rather than comply. "If the public doesn't understand it and they don't trust it, they're not going to view it as procedurally just," she said.