Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to spend up to $2 million on robotic dogs made by Boston Dynamics, according to a federal procurement notice, expanding the agency’s use of technology in immigration enforcement operations.
The notice, posted to the Department of Homeland Security’s Acquisition Planning Forecast System, said ICE intends to contract for Boston Dynamics SPOT robots and related accessories.
What the Robots Would Do
According to the procurement notice, the robots would “support public safety and law enforcement operations by providing a remotely operated robotic capability for inspection, situational awareness, and hazard assessment in environments that may pose risks to personnel.”
A senior DHS official told NBC News the robots would not be used to make arrests. Instead, they are intended for situations that could be unsafe for human officers, using onboard cameras and sensors capable of detecting chemicals, gas, vibration, and radiation.
Spot units start at roughly $75,000 each before additional equipment is added, meaning the full contract could ultimately place dozens of the robots into service if it reaches the upper end of the projected budget.
Already Familiar to Law Enforcement
Boston Dynamics’ robot dogs are already used by several law enforcement agencies, including police departments in Los Angeles and New York. The US Secret Service has also deployed the robots, including at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, where they were seen patrolling in social media videos that went viral in 2024.
In past law enforcement use elsewhere, Spot units have been deployed in armed standoffs, hostage situations, and bomb investigations, according to reporting on the technology’s broader adoption.
A Boston Dynamics spokesperson said the company sells to many government agencies and public safety organizations, and that the robots are designed to keep people out of harm’s way while helping first responders assess dangerous situations.
Part of a Larger Equipment Push
The robot dog purchase follows a separate, more controversial decision earlier this month, when ICE awarded a $16.7 million contract for 6,000 pairs of electric shock gloves for officers to wear during enforcement operations.
The gloves, known as GLOVE, use conductive electrodes in the palm to deliver an electric pulse on direct contact with skin, and do not function through clothing. DHS has described the gloves as a de-escalation tool, though the National Day Laborer Organizing Network has strongly criticized their use, at one point characterizing the devices as a form of torture.
A DHS spokesperson said the agency is “constantly assessing the needs of our officers in the field to ensure they have the tools and equipment necessary to safely arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our country.”
A Wider Pattern of Investment
The proposed robot purchase comes as ICE significantly expands its enforcement operations under the Trump administration, with arrests rising sharply during the president’s second term.
Boston Dynamics has stated in its own ethics guidelines that it will not authorize partners to use its robots as weapons or autonomous targeting systems, and that it will take action if its products are found to be used for harm.
Why It Matters
The purchase reflects a broader push by DHS to expand the technology and equipment available to immigration officers as enforcement activity increases nationwide. Whether the robots remain limited to the inspection and hazard-assessment role DHS has described, or expand into other uses over time, is likely to draw continued scrutiny from immigrant rights groups already raising concerns about the agency’s other recent equipment purchases.
