The Trump administration plans to purchase robot dogs made by a Massachusetts company for its immigration enforcement operations.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement wants to spend up to $2 million on robots from Boston Dynamics, according to a funding document from the Department of Homeland Security.
The robot known as “Spot” is one of Boston Dynamics’ most recognized products. It’s a dog-like machine with four legs, and equipped with cameras and sensors that can detect things like hazardous gas. It can also climb stairs and navigate through rough terrain.
The technology would provide ICE with the capability to remotely operate the robots “for inspection, situational awareness, and hazard assessment in environments that may pose risks to personnel,” according to the DHS document.
ICE said the robot gives them an additional safety tool and doesn’t replace law enforcement officers or human judgement.
“Like with our other law enforcement partners around the country, this robot platform provides law enforcement officers with an additional tool to safely assess potentially dangerous situations before placing personnel or the public at risk,” an ICE spokesperson said in a statement. “It can provide real-time situational awareness in hazardous, confined, or tactically uncertain environments, allowing officers to make more informed decisions and, when possible, resolve incidents without immediately introducing personnel into a dangerous area.”
Boston Dynamics said it sells its robot to many government agencies and public safety organizations. The robots have typically been used after natural disasters, in search and rescue operations, and to inspect suspicious packages, among other things, according to the company.
“The robots are used to keep people out of harm’s way and aid first responders in assessing dangerous situations,” the company said in a statement.
The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has drawn criticism of its tactics and concerns about civil rights after several fatal ICE shootings and clashes with protesters. Several cities in the state have moved to restrict ICE operations, and Gov. Maura Healey recently signed a law to protect people from warrantless arrests.
Boston Dynamics said “any attempted weaponization of Boston Dynamics’ robots is strictly prohibited” under its terms and conditions. The terms say those who purchase their product must agree to their ethical principles, which state the company “will not authorize nor partner with those who wish to use our robots as weapons or autonomous targeting systems.”
“If our products are being used for harm, we will take appropriate measures to mitigate that misuse,” the page read.
It’s unclear what those mitigation measures would be. Boston Dynamics did not respond to questions about what happens if their terms and conditions or ethical principles are violated.
An open letter spearheaded by Boston Dynamics to the robotics community about weaponization said “when possible, we will carefully review our customers’ intended applications to avoid potential weaponization.” The letter also called on policymakers to help promote the safe use of robots and prohibit their misuse.
According to those Boston Dynamics terms, U.S. public safety and law enforcement users must agree to have a policy on how Spot is used and make it public before using the technology.
The company has said it would “not authorize nor partner” with those who do not comply with privacy and civil rights laws.
ICE’s plan to purchase Boston Dynamics’ robots comes after the agency recently moved forward with purchasing gloves that deliver electric shocks. And earlier this summer, Congress gave the agency more than three times its annual funding, raising some concerns about oversight of ICE.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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