U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has allocated millions of dollars for a bulk order of 20 armoured vehicles from the Canadian defense firm Roshel, designed to withstand bullets and explosions.
Records from U. S. government procurement indicate that the department has initiated a rush order valued at around $10 million CAD for 20 Senator STANG emergency response tactical vehicles.
The rationale for the sole-source order was detailed in a partially redacted document on a U. S. federal procurement website on Nov. 26, which states that a contract was awarded on Nov. 28.
The procurement document specifies that only Roshel, based in Brampton, Ont., meets the requirements set by the department for vehicles necessary “to support agents in the field” and can fulfill the order within 30 days.
“Roshel is uniquely positioned to fulfil this requirement within the necessary time frame, having confirmed immediate availability of vehicles that fully meet ICE’s specifications,” said the document produced by ICE’s Office of Acquisition Management.
“While other sources were consulted, they had limited quantities available or none could fulfil the entire requirement within the required period of performance, nor meet all technical requirements.”
This purchase was first reported by The Independent, a newspaper based in the U. K.
Roshel has stated it has supplied hundreds of Senator vehicles to Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia, although it manufactures various models. Marketing materials from the company mention that this emergency response vehicle features blast protection on its floor.
The department, commonly known as ICE, is surrounded by controversy and accusations of human rights violations as U. S. President Donald Trump continues his campaign to deport large numbers of immigrants living illegally in the country.
This order comes despite Trump’s “America-first” trade policy and his efforts in an ongoing trade dispute aimed at taking jobs and production away from Canadian steel, manufacturing, and automotive industries.
The department dismissed other U. S.-based heavy vehicle manufacturers like Alpine Amoring Inc., CITE Armored, Inc., DGM LLC, and Lenco Armored Vehicles as not meeting all requirements or deadlines.
“Delaying this procurement to pursue a fully competitive action would significantly impact operational readiness and hinder ICE’s ability to deploy mission-critical resources in a timely manner,” noted the procurement document.
Neither Roshel nor Global Affairs Canada or ICE responded immediately to requests for comments on Tuesday.
The document indicates that the total cost for this fleet will likely be around $7,331,200 USD.
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