ICE to Spend $2M on Robot Dogs

Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to spend up to $2 million on dog-like robots to help its officers make arrests and secure the border, according to a federal procurement notice.

A funding document posted to the Department of Homeland Security's Acquisition Planning Forecast System on Thursday said the agency could spend between $1 million and $2 million on the machines, The Hill reported.

The hardware in question is the Boston Dynamics SPOT robot — a four-legged, remotely operated unit already in use by the Secret Service and by police departments around the country.

What ICE Says It Wants Them For

The notice says the robots will "support public safety and law enforcement operations by providing a remotely operated robotic capability for inspection, situational awareness, and hazard assessment in environments that may pose risks to personnel," according to ABC News.

It adds that the capability "helps improve officer safety, supports informed operational decision-making, and enhances DHS's ability to respond to incidents involving dangerous, confined, unstable, or difficult-to-access areas."

The notice specifically cites securing the border and infrastructure security as uses.

The robots carry 360-degree cameras and can open doors. They have extendable arms but cannot attack the way a police K-9 can.