California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a new law temporarily prohibiting law enforcement officers from using electric-shock gloves, including federal immigration agents operating inside the state. The move is already reigniting California’s long-running fight with the federal government over immigration enforcement, with critics questioning whether Newsom has any authority to dictate what equipment federal officers can use.
Supporters of the restriction have raised concerns about the safety of wearable devices capable of delivering painful electric shocks, while opponents argue they could provide officers with another less-lethal option during dangerous encounters. The disagreement was reflected in the reactions under several X posts, with one commenter even telling Newsom to “stay in your lane.”
In an X post written by Bill Essayli, he writes, “Governor, we’ve been through this already. If you want to regulate federal agents, you have to win a federal election. Until then, you have no jurisdiction.“
Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2760 on September 29 as part of a larger package of legislation addressing immigration enforcement and detention in California. The measure prohibits local, state, and federal law enforcement officers from using wearable devices designed to deliver electric shocks beginning next year.
The restriction is expected to remain in place until January 1, 203, making the legislation effectively temporary as California examines the technology. The state’s Department of Justice must study the safety of the devices and report its findings to lawmakers by 2029. However, Immigration and Customs Enforcement was recently awarded nearly $17 million for 6,000 pairs of gloves.
Newsom has characterized the technology as “Orwellian” and included the measure among more than 20 bills intended to increase oversight of immigration enforcement and detention in California. His administration argues that California has an interest in establishing standards governing law enforcement practices and equipment used inside the state, including when those practices intersect with federal immigration enforcement.
Opponents have questioned whether eliminating the gloves could make law enforcement encounters more dangerous. Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, a Democrat, argued that the devices represent a nonlethal option officers could potentially use when necessary, while California law enforcement organizations broadly opposed the prohibition.
Comments and Reactions to Gavin Newsom’s Shock Glove Ban
Several commenters argued that Newsom was interfering with federal officers carrying out their duties. One user wrote, “Exactly right. No state government has the right to regulate how federal agents conduct the lawful execution of their duties. Stay in your lane, Gavin.“
Others defended the potential usefulness of the devices rather than focusing on the constitutional dispute. “I am eager to see those gloves in action. The jobs of ICE agents will not only become easier, but also safer.“
Not everyone responding saw federal authority as the end of the discussion. “What ever happened to the party of states rights?” one person asked, while another commenter raised the opposite concern about the devices themselves, criticizing the possibility that electric-shock gloves could be used against children and questioning why anyone would support their use.
The conversation is still going viral, with commenters leaving their opinions and frustrations in the comments below the post.
