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New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James warned Wednesday that federal immigration authorities could face legal consequences if they deploy electric shock devices within the state. The warning targets U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s consideration of thousands of units known as G.L.O.V.E., or Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter devices, which deliver electrical charges through skin contact.
The Department of Homeland Security is pursuing the procurement as part of equipment modernization efforts, with ICE potentially spending up to $20 million on the devices described in federal purchasing documents as “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices.” James said her office is examining whether deployment of the technology would violate multiple New York statutes, including the State Administrative Procedure Act.
Hochul emphasized state protections against unconstitutional treatment, stating that officers using such devices would face accountability. James indicated her office would pursue litigation against DHS if anyone in New York sustained injuries from the equipment, declaring, “You can best be assured of that.”
ICE defended the acquisition in a statement, asserting that all technology evaluations prioritize officer safety and compliance with law enforcement standards. The agency noted that its personnel receive extensive de-escalation training and use of force instruction, and that equipment decisions undergo thorough legal review.
Compliant Technologies, a Lexington, Kentucky manufacturer, produces the gloves, which company demonstration videos show causing test subjects to fall after contact. CEO Jeff Niklaus declined to discuss the federal purchase with The Associated Press.
The dispute reflects broader tensions between state and federal authorities over immigration enforcement cooperation. New York law enforcement agencies face an August 24 deadline to terminate civil immigration enforcement agreements with ICE or risk legal consequences, with a dozen agencies maintaining such arrangements as of July.
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