Bloomberg Law reports that law enforcement agencies across the United States have used a full-body restraint device known as “The Wrap” in at least 41 incidents in which the restrained person later died. The device, which immobilizes individuals from the shoulders to the feet, comes with extensive manufacturer warnings against use on people who are intoxicated, distressed, or experiencing medical emergencies. Bloomberg Law’s investigation found that officers or jail guards failed to follow the manufacturer’s instructions in 32 of the 41 deaths, with individuals becoming unresponsive while restrained or shortly after the device was removed.

Speaking with Bloomberg Law, Sarah Decker, a U.S. Senior staff attorney with the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, said there was “no justification for the application of this device” in an ICE arrest involving her client, adding, “He was not resisting arrest. He was simply asserting his rights in detention and as part of his deportation proceedings.”

The investigation raises urgent concerns about the safety of full-body restraints and the risks they pose to people in custody, particularly during immigration enforcement operations.

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