ICE to Acquire Boston Dynamics Spot Robots in $2 Million Pilot Program

ICE announced a budget of up to $2 million to acquire Boston Dynamics’ Spot robotic dogs for use in immigration-enforcement operations, where they will survey structures and detect hazards with onboard cameras and chemical sensors. Agency officials said the devices are intended solely to provide real-time situational awareness and help decide whether it is safe to send personnel into potentially dangerous environments, without granting them arrest powers.

A spokesperson for ICE emphasized that the robots complement, rather than replace, officer judgment. Boston Dynamics responded that it sells its robots to government and public-safety customers but strictly forbids any weaponization or autonomous targeting, promising to act against misuse. The procurement follows a broader push for new technology after a $70 billion immigration-enforcement funding package, including a recent $78,000 purchase of a Mini-CALIBER tactical robot and a $16.7 million contract for electric-shock gloves, which civil-rights groups have criticized.