ICE bought 6,000 pairs of shock gloves for $16.7M after an Army study found they caused intense pain and fear

Political Guyentist · October 8, 20261 min read

The unreleased study, from an October 2024 exercise at Fort Leavenworth, found the gloves caused intense pain, instant compliance and lasting fear of being shocked again, while ICE calls them de-escalation devices.

On the recordArmy study: participants said "just seeing the GLOVE was enough to make them want to comply." (NBC News)2 details

Army study: participants said "just seeing the GLOVE was enough to make them want to comply." (NBC News)
American Oversight's Chioma Chukwu: the assessment "does not establish that they are safe."

What we’re less sure of2 of 7 claims

Medium
ICE bought the gloves after it saw the Army study's findings.
The sequence (the study preceded the buy) is supported by the PBS/AP, NBC, Guardian and CNN reporting. The headline wording, 'after an Army study found', is the desk's framing and is not explicitly attributed in the story text.
Medium
American Oversight's Chioma Chukwu said the assessment 'does not establish that they are safe.'
A named quote from American Oversight's Chioma Chukwu. It is properly attributed, but it is an advocacy group's interpretation and the story does not name the outlet carrying it.