ICE plans to spend $2 million on dog-like robots for immigration enforcement

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning to spend up to $2 million on robot “dogs” to assist its agents’ operations, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding document.

A funding document posted to DHS’s Acquisition Planning Forecast System on Thursday said the agency could spend between $1 million and $2 million on Boston Dynamics’ “Spot” robot and accessories.

A senior DHS official confirmed the plans to NBC News and told the outlet that the robots will not be used to make arrests. The Hill has reached out to ICE for comment.

The technology is already in use by several law enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles and New York police departments . The U.S. Secret Service also previously used the robotic dogs to secure President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in 2024.

These robots are equipped with cameras and sensors that can detect vibration, gas and radiation, according to Boston Dynamics .

In the government funding notice description, the agency said these robots will allow for “inspection, situational awareness, and hazard assessment in environments that may pose risks to personnel.”

“This capability helps improve officer safety, supports informed operational decision-making, and enhances DHS’s ability to respond to incidents involving dangerous, confined, unstable, or difficult-to-access areas,” the notice states.

Boston Dynamics said in its ethics statement that it “will not authorize nor partner with those who wish to use our robots as weapons or autonomous targeting systems.”

“If our products are being used for harm, we will take appropriate measures to mitigate that misuse,” the company continued.

This new proposal follows the agency’s controversial decision earlier this month to purchase as much as $20 million worth of electric shock gloves for officers to wear during immigration operations. White House border czar Tom Homan defended the move against criticism, arguing the gloves would prevent agents from needing to resort to deadly force.

In a Thursday letter , a group of Democratic senators called on ICE acting Director David Venturella to cancel this contract and “instead invest in de-escalation tools, training, and accountability.”