California Democrats are moving quickly to stop U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using a controversial new law-enforcement device that federal officials say could give agents another way to control combative suspects without resorting to a firearm.
The escalating battle involves Assembly Bill 2760, a California proposal targeting so-called wearable electroshock devices.
And unlike an ordinary restriction on state police, the legislation specifically seeks to prevent federal law-enforcement officers, including ICE agents, from using the devices while operating in California.
The proposal is advancing as President Donald Trump’s administration continues its push for tougher immigration enforcement across the country.
But there is an important distinction: the proposed ban has not yet become California law, and Gov. Gavin Newsom has not yet signed it.
That means California lawmakers are currently attempting to put the restriction on Newsom’s desk.
California Targets New ICE Technology
At the center of the controversy is a device known as the G.L.O.V.E., short for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter.
The technology is manufactured by Kentucky-based Compliant Technologies and is designed to deliver an electrical charge through physical contact.
Federal officials view the device as another potential option for officers confronting people who resist arrest or become combative.
That could be particularly significant for ICE agents conducting immigration arrests, where encounters can sometimes become unpredictable or dangerous.
Supporters argue that providing officers with more less-lethal options could potentially reduce situations in which agents have to escalate to more serious forms of force.
California Democrats and civil-liberties advocates see the issue very differently.
What AB 2760 Would Do
California’s AB 2760 would prohibit law-enforcement agencies from using wearable electroshock devices in the state.
The measure defines wearable technology broadly enough to include clothing and accessories equipped with such capabilities.
More significantly, the legislation explicitly attempts to apply the prohibition to federal law-enforcement agencies operating within California.
The bill would also prohibit California state and local law-enforcement agencies from using state funding to purchase the technology.
Agencies covered by the legislation would have to update their use-of-force policies to reflect the restriction.
That could set the stage for another major confrontation between California and the federal government over immigration enforcement.
ICE Could Spend Millions on the Devices
The timing is no coincidence.
The Department of Homeland Security is considering spending between $10 million and $20 million to acquire thousands of the devices for ICE personnel.
The equipment could eventually be issued to agents working in ICE’s investigative operations as well as Enforcement and Removal Operations, the division responsible for immigration arrests and removals.
A nationwide rollout could put the technology in the hands of thousands of federal officers.
Some correctional facilities and local law-enforcement agencies have already used similar devices.
Federal officials believe expanding access could provide officers with another tool when dealing with potentially dangerous individuals.
DHS Defends Giving ICE More Options
The Department of Homeland Security has defended its consideration of new equipment for immigration officers.
DHS says ICE continually evaluates the needs of personnel working in the field to ensure officers have appropriate tools for safely conducting arrests.
The agency has also stressed that any technology ultimately adopted must comply with applicable law-enforcement policies and standards.
That gets to the heart of the dispute.
Should ICE officers have access to another less-lethal tool when confronting a combative suspect, or does wearable electroshock technology create unacceptable risks?
California Democrats are taking the latter position.
California Democrat Condemns the Technology
Democratic Assemblymember Alex Lee has been particularly outspoken about the proposed ICE equipment.
Lee has characterized the technology as a tool that could be used to unnecessarily hurt people, reflecting broader concerns among California Democrats about federal immigration enforcement.
AB 2760 was introduced by Democratic Assemblymember Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins and was substantially amended in August to specifically address wearable electroshock devices.
The revised language puts federal agencies squarely within the proposed restriction.
For California conservatives and supporters of stronger immigration enforcement, that raises another question: How far can a state go in restricting the equipment used by federal officers carrying out federal law?
That issue could become increasingly important if the legislation ultimately takes effect.
California Lawmakers Move Quickly
California lawmakers aren’t taking the normal slow approach to this legislation.
The state Senate voted 30-9 to suspend procedural rules, allowing the newly revised proposal to continue moving forward despite standard legislative deadlines.
The maneuver became particularly important because lawmakers are approaching the end of California’s legislative session.
AB 2760 still has hurdles to clear before it can become law.
That means reports suggesting California has already banned the ICE equipment go too far.
The battle is still unfolding.
Could California Face a Legal Fight?
If California ultimately enacts the restriction and attempts to enforce it against federal officers, another question could emerge: whether the state has the constitutional authority to dictate what equipment federal agents may use while performing their official duties.
Federal authority and state sovereignty have repeatedly collided over immigration policy.
California has been one of the Trump administration’s most persistent opponents on immigration enforcement, while the administration has pushed for expanded arrests, detention and deportation of people unlawfully present in the United States.
A restriction specifically aimed at equipment used by federal law enforcement could therefore become more than a debate over one unusual piece of technology.
It could become another test of California’s power to restrict federal immigration operations inside the state.
Another Trump-California Immigration Battle
The controversy highlights the dramatically different approaches Washington and Sacramento continue to take toward immigration enforcement.
The Trump administration wants ICE officers equipped to conduct arrests and removals safely, including encounters involving people who resist officers.
California Democrats have pursued numerous policies intended to restrict or regulate immigration-enforcement activity within the state.
AB 2760 brings those competing philosophies into direct conflict.
Supporters of the legislation argue that electrical devices worn by officers present potential civil-rights and excessive-force concerns.
Critics can counter that banning a less-lethal option could leave federal agents with fewer choices during dangerous confrontations, potentially undermining the very safety concerns lawmakers say they want to address.
What Happens Next?
AB 2760 must still complete California’s legislative process before it can reach Gov. Gavin Newsom.
That makes the next several days critical.
If lawmakers approve the measure, Newsom could then have an opportunity to decide whether California should formally prohibit the controversial technology.
Until then, California has not actually banned ICE from using the devices.
What is clear is that state Democrats are making an aggressive attempt to do exactly that.
And if the legislation becomes law, the fight may not end in Sacramento.
It could simply move to the courts — opening yet another battle between California and the Trump administration over who ultimately controls how federal immigration law is enforced inside the Golden State.