U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has issued a federal procurement notice to spend up to $2 million on Boston Dynamics Spot robot dogs, according to documents reviewed by ABC News and NBC News. The robots will support law enforcement operations by providing remotely operated inspection, situational awareness, and hazard assessment capability in environments that pose risks to human personnel.
The procurement notice states the technology will help with border security and infrastructure protection. “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 notice read.
What Spot Can Do
Boston Dynamics’ Spot is a quadruped robot equipped with 360-degree cameras and an extendable arm, capable of navigating terrain that wheeled platforms cannot access. The robot can open doors, examine confined spaces, and provide real-time visual feeds to remote operators. It cannot attack or physically restrain individuals – its design is oriented toward sensing and inspection rather than physical intervention.
Spot has an established law enforcement deployment history. The Los Angeles Police Department demonstrated the robot examining a crime scene for weapons and explosives in 2023. The Secret Service has used Spot for perimeter security, and the robot was seen patrolling Mar-a-Lago in social media videos that attracted widespread attention in 2024. Police departments across the country have incorporated Spot into hazmat, hostage situation, and crime scene assessment workflows.
The Policy Context
The ICE procurement comes in a broader DHS technology investment period. The Department of Homeland Security recently approved $16 million for ICE to purchase electric shock gloves for officers. The robot dog purchase, at $2 million, is comparatively modest and represents an extension of an existing law enforcement technology category rather than a novel deployment.
For Boston Dynamics, the federal contract adds to a growing government and defense customer base that has included the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and various police departments. The ICE procurement is consistent with the use cases Boston Dynamics and DHS have both publicly described for Spot: removing human officers from the first point of contact in environments that are unknown, potentially hazardous, or structurally unstable.
The civil liberties implications of deploying robot dogs in immigration enforcement contexts have drawn attention from advocacy groups, who have raised concerns about surveillance capability and the potential chilling effect on communities. ICE has not publicly responded to those concerns in connection with this specific procurement notice.
Disclaimer: RobotsBeat is an independent media brand owned and operated by NuvexMedia LLC, publishing news, research, and insights on artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, automation, and related industries. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with companies across the AI, Robotics, technology, software, and digital innovation sectors. These relationships do not influence RobotsBeat's editorial coverage, and the publication maintains full editorial independence to provide accurate, timely, and objective information. © 2026 NuvexMedia LLC. All rights reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or other professional advice.
