{"slug": "ice-plans-to-spend-up-to-2m-on-robot-dogs", "title": "ICE plans to spend up to $2M on robot dogs", "summary": "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend up to $2 million on Boston Dynamics' SPOT robots, four-legged machines equipped with cameras and Wi-Fi that can travel at speeds up to about 5 feet per second, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding document. The robots are intended to assist with inspection, situational awareness, and hazard assessment in risky environments, improving officer safety and operational decision-making. The notice follows DHS's earlier plan to spend up to $20 million on electric-shock gloves, amid increased ICE enforcement and public disapproval of the administration's immigration policies.", "body_md": "# ICE plans to spend up to $2M on robot dogs\n\nThe four-legged robots are equipped with cameras and Wi-Fi connectivity and can travel at speeds of up to about 5 feet per second\n\n- Bookmark\n- CommentsGo to comments\n\n[Immigration and Customs Enforcement](/news/world/americas/us-politics/dhs-officials-attack-trump-ice-nominee-lance-schroyer-b3037890.html) plans to spend up to $2 million on robotic “dogs,” according to federal records.\n\nA funding document posted this week by the Department of Homeland Security says the agency could spend between $1 million and $2 million on “SPOT Robots,” which are manufactured by [Boston Dynamics](/tech/robot-dog-boston-dynamics-google-deepmind-ai-b2958743.html).\n\nThe robots are intended to assist with “inspection, situational awareness, and hazard assessment in environments that may pose risks to personnel,” according to[ the planning document](http://go.redirectingat.com/?id=44681X1458326&xcust=b3041608&url=https%3A%2F%2Fapfs-cloud.dhs.gov%2Frecord%2F75113%2Fpublic-print%2F&sref=/news/world/americas/us-politics/ice-robot-dogs-trump-immigration-b3041608.html).\n\n“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 document adds.\n\nBoston Dynamics, an American robotics company, describes[ SPOT](https://bostondynamics.com/products/spot/) as an “easy to use” product with “360° perception and athletic intelligence.” The roughly 75-pound, four-legged robot is equipped with cameras and Wi-Fi connectivity and can travel at speeds of up to about 5 feet per second.\n\nThe machines — which have extendable arms — have already been used by police departments across the U.S., according to[ ABC News](https://abcnews.com/Politics/ice-plans-purchase-robot-dogs/story?id=136039320).\n\nThe notice comes weeks after DHS published documents indicating that it could spend up to $20 million on[ specialized gloves capable of delivering painful electric shocks](/news/world/americas/us-politics/ice-officers-glove-electric-shocks-b3031482.html) to assist with compliance.\n\n*The Independent* has contacted DHS for comment.\n\nThe department has received a significant influx of funding after President Donald Trump signed the “[One Big Beautiful Bill Act](/news/world/americas/us-politics/ice-funding-democrats-midterms-aoc-b3021116.html)” into law last summer. The sweeping legislation, which passed without a single Democratic vote, allocated $165 billion to the department, which oversees ICE.\n\nThe additional spending comes as many Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of his anti-immigration campaign. Opposition intensified after [two U.S. citizens were killed by federal agents](/news/world/americas/us-politics/alex-pretti-family-trump-attacks-b3039031.html) in Minnesota in January.\n\nThe president called for a “[softer touch](/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-immigration-ice-minneapolis-b2914174.html)” on immigration enforcement following their killings.\n\nRecent data, meanwhile, indicates that [ICE has accelerated its enforcement operations](/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-ice-arrests-criminal-history-b3040468.html). The administration logged its highest monthly totals for immigration-related arrests this summer, with ICE arresting more than 43,000 people in June and another 50,000 in July, *The Independent* reported this week.\n\nFor the first time since Trump took office, more than half of those arrested had no pending criminal charges or prior convictions.\n\nIn an[ August YouGov poll](https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/econtoplines_UPccajD.pdf), 53 percent of respondents said they disapproved of Trump’s handling of immigration, while 40 percent approved.\n\n## Join our commenting forum\n\nJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies\n\n[Comments](#comments-area)", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ice-plans-to-spend-up-to-2m-on-robot-dogs", "canonical_source": "https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ice-robot-dogs-trump-immigration-b3041608.html", "published_at": "2026-08-29 21:35:16+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-29 21:48:10.770686+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["robotics"], "entities": ["Immigration and Customs Enforcement", "Department of Homeland Security", "Boston Dynamics", "SPOT", "Donald Trump", "The Independent"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ice-plans-to-spend-up-to-2m-on-robot-dogs", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ice-plans-to-spend-up-to-2m-on-robot-dogs.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ice-plans-to-spend-up-to-2m-on-robot-dogs.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ice-plans-to-spend-up-to-2m-on-robot-dogs.jsonld"}}