Rosen Joins Push Against ICE Rollout of Electric Shock Gloves

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues in pushing back against the Trump Administration on its dangerous plan to provide U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers with gloves that deliver painful electric shocks. On August 10, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a notice concerning ICE's planned acquisition of these gloves, which estimates the potential value between $10 million and $20 million.

"We write to express deep concern about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend up to $20 million on gloves that deliver electric shocks," the Senators began. "…The blatant and tragic misuse of force in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Houston, Maine, and other locations around the country raises significant skepticism about the agency's professional capability to safely deploy a new tool that could be used to harm Americans without cause. Therefore, we urge ICE to cancel the contract and reconsider the purchase."

"The proposed acquisition raises serious questions about necessity, proportionality, medical safety, training, accountability, and constitutional rights," the Senators continued. "Those questions are particularly important given the significant public scrutiny surrounding ICE's excessive use of force. A device capable of delivering an electrical shock through direct contact with an individual presents substantial risks if deployed during civil arrests - even more so if it is deployed without clear limits, appropriate training, and comprehensive oversight."

"At a time when the American people have demanded de-escalation in immigration enforcement, it is not clear why existing tools and tactics are insufficient for the agency," the Senators wrote. "In the past year, DHS has repeatedly spent millions of taxpayer dollars on purchases it ends up not using, including $464 million for airplanes, $700 million on warehouses, and more than $2.25 million for SUVs wrapped with ICE branding. Many of these ICE transactions, including the planned electric-shock glove purchase, are completed through no-bid contracts that circumvent the normal competitive procurement process without a sufficient rationale."

"If ICE proceeds with purchasing $20 million worth of electric-shock gloves, Congress needs a clear understanding of the device's safety and authorized uses," the Senators concluded.

You can read the full letter HERE.

Senator Rosen has been one of the main proponents in the Senate for stricter guardrails and more accountability for ICE agents. She recently led Senate colleagues in a letter demanding answers from the Trump Administration over TSA cooperation with ICE at airports. Senator Rosen also opposed the confirmation of Trump's TSA Administrator nominee, David Cummins, after he failed to answer any questions on TSA's cooperation with ICE. In June, Senator Rosen voted against the ultra-partisan Republican budget, which gave ICE more funding without any guardrails or accountability mechanisms.

###