U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is advancing plans to procure thousands of electric shock gloves, defying mounting resistance from civil rights advocates and Capitol Hill lawmakers.

The controversial devices deliver high-voltage electrical pulses to subdue individuals. Critics strongly contend that immigration agents cannot be trusted to deploy such equipment safely, warning of heightened risks of physical abuse.

Despite calls for heightened scrutiny, federal officials maintain the high-tech gloves will serve as a vital non-lethal tool for officer protection during field operations.