ICE plan to buy robot dogs spurs protest from Boston Dynamics employees

More than 300 Boston Dynamics employees - about a fifth of the company’s workforce - signed a petition urging executives to stop a deal that will supply ICE with four modified Spot robot dogs. The robots, upgraded by Connecticut contractor Radeco and marketed as Cerberus, are covered by a $1.3 million Department of Homeland Security contract. They include radiation, toxic-gas and oxygen sensors, high-zoom and thermal cameras, and an optional arm; the contract describes their use in tunnel investigations and other remote inspections, with some autonomous operation. ICE says the purchase supports efforts against smuggling and trafficking networks.

Employees argue that ICE’s broader record makes the sale damaging, regardless of its stated purpose. They point to Homeland Security Investigations’ role in workplace raids and deportation operations, including a 2025 raid at Hyundai’s Georgia plant that detained 475 mostly South Korean workers. Boston Dynamics, owned by Hyundai, says Spot is a safety tool, not a weapon, and maintains that the robots will not be weaponized. The company cites sales terms barring use to harm or intimidate people or animals, and says it could revoke warranties, software updates, licenses, or future sales if a customer misuses a robot. Executives stood by the agreement, while workers warned that association with ICE could undermine recruitment and retention as the company expands its workforce and production.