The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is reportedly planning to spend $16.7 million on electric shock gloves, equipment that can deliver an electric shock when activated.
The purchase has attracted criticism from rights advocates, who have raised concerns about the use of such devices by immigration enforcement officers, particularly during arrests and the detention of migrants.
Supporters of the equipment argue that the gloves could give officers another way to control people during confrontations without immediately resorting to more dangerous weapons. Critics, however, question whether the devices are necessary and warn about the potential for misuse or excessive force.
The reported procurement comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE's enforcement activities and the treatment of migrants in the United States. Human rights organisations have called for greater transparency and stronger safeguards over the use of force by immigration authorities.
The controversy is likely to fuel the wider debate in the US over immigration enforcement, police powers and the treatment of people detained during immigration operations.