# ICE plans to spend up to $2M on robot dogs > Source: > Published: 2026-08-29 21:35:16+00:00 # ICE plans to spend up to $2M on robot dogs The four-legged robots are equipped with cameras and Wi-Fi connectivity and can travel at speeds of up to about 5 feet per second - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments [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. A 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). The 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). “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. Boston 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. The 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). The 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. *The Independent* has contacted DHS for comment. The 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. The 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. The president called for a “[softer touch](/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-immigration-ice-minneapolis-b2914174.html)” on immigration enforcement following their killings. Recent 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. For the first time since Trump took office, more than half of those arrested had no pending criminal charges or prior convictions. In 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. ## Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies [Comments](#comments-area)