ICE buys four Boston Dynamics robot dogs

ICE's Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs posted a DHS acquisition forecast on Aug 27, 2026 titled "Boston Dynamics SPOT Robots Procurement," listed with no competition at $1 million to $2 million. The next day ICE posted a market-research (sources sought) notice for a "Quadruped Unmanned Ground Vehicle"; its draft specifications ask for stereo cameras giving 360-degree visibility, a 30x zoom camera with thermal imaging, an arm and gripper, and extended-range radios.

Boston.com reported on Sept 30 that ICE had finalized a $1.3 million contract for four Spot robots, publicly listed that week, to search tunnels at border crossings; Boston Dynamics said ICE's Homeland Security Investigations, not Enforcement and Removal Operations, would use them. The forecast page has since come down from DHS's site; the archived copy is linked here.

How we know: The DHS forecast (archived copy), ICE's market-research notice and its draft specifications read directly (Oct 3, 2026). The $1.3 million contract is Boston.com's report of the listed contract; we have not yet found it in federal spending records. Updated Oct 3, 2026; earlier versions ended with the forecast.