by Jo Ellen Nott

Safe Restraints, Inc., the manufacturer of “The Wrap,” a full-body restraint system used nationwide by police and correctional facilities to immobilize combative individuals, continues to fiercely defend the device’s efficacy while medical experts warn that The Wrap’s manual instructs police to apply the device while someone lies in the dangerous prone position.

The manufacturer maintains that autopsy reports do not attribute these deaths to The Wrap and that drug overdoses are the most common cause. Company representatives stress that the device was engineered specifically to reduce the need for prolonged physical force and lower the risk of injuries compared to traditional, extended physical struggles. An outside trainer, John Peters Jr. of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, has likewise said that, when used properly, the device should not cause injuries or breathing issues. Furthermore, corporate executives point out that the company has never faced a lawsuit establishing the product as the primary or sole cause of a death. 

On the other hand, use-of-force experts, civil rights attorneys, and medical professionals argue that the device is inherently dangerous. Critics point out that the manufacturer’s manual requires officers to place subjects into a face-down, prone position to apply the straps, a position well-documented to restrict breathing and cause positional asphyxia. Dr. Roger Mitchell Jr., president of the National Medical Association and a former chief medical examiner for Washington, D.C., has said that devices which could increase the risk of death should not be used on people going through a mental health crisis or substance-abuse withdrawal. Opponents further argue that the device is frequently used improperly in chaotic field environments or weaponized by guards as a punitive tool.

Bloomberg Law reviewed lawsuits, government records, and more than 20 body camera and jail videos to create a list of common errors made by law enforcement while deploying the device. Those errors include putting pressure on someone’s neck, back, or torso while applying The Wrap, not monitoring the bound person at all times, and not seeking immediate medical help when the bound individual complained about a health issue.

A tragic example of the device’s fatal potential occurred in South San Francisco, when 26-year-old Julio Ayala died after being placed in the restraint at a hotel. Police responded to reports of Ayala yelling and banging on walls, suspecting he was under the influence of PCP. During a struggle to apply The Wrap, officers held Ayala face down and applied a carotid neck hold. After securing the top portion of the device, police checked his pulse and found none. He could not be revived. His autopsy attributed the cause of death to a blunt neck injury linked to physical exertion and cocaine intoxication.

Despite ongoing legal settlements totaling over $9 million across seven Wrap-related lawsuits, the device remains in widespread use, with the manufacturer reporting sales to more than 2,200 law enforcement agencies in the United States and Canada. In a troubling footnote, an investigation by Bloomberg Law found only three cases where law enforcement officers were criminally prosecuted out of the 41 deaths identified that involved The Wrap.

The investigation has already reverberated in Congress. On February 25, 2026, Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., introduced the Full-Body Restraint Prohibition Act, H.R. 7709, which would bar the Department of Homeland Security, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”), from purchasing or using full-body restraints like The Wrap and would require removal from federal service for DHS employees who violate the prohibition or deceive Congress or department leadership about such violations. A summary of the bill cited Bloomberg Law’s finding of 41 Wrap-related deaths, and the measure received endorsements from more than a dozen civil and human rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Immigration Law Center. As of July 7, 2026, the bill remained pending before the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability.

Congressional scrutiny has since expanded beyond the proposed statutory ban. On May 11, 2026, Rep. Rob Menendez, D-N.J., Ramirez, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, led a group of House Democrats in asking the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate ICE Air Operations’ deportation flights, including ICE’s alleged use of full-body restraints such as The Wrap for prolonged periods and the reported lack of evacuation plans for restrained passengers. The letter cited the 2024 ICE Air Operations Handbook’s authorization of restraints including The Wrap and asked whether devices such as The Wrap and chains attached to passengers’ feet satisfy crashworthiness standards and how restrained passengers could be evacuated during an emergency.

Sources: Bloomberg Law; Office of Rep. Delia Ramirez, “Ramirez, Civil and Human Rights Organizations Introduce the Full-Body Restraint Prohibition Act”; Office of Rep. Rob Menendez, “Menendez, Crockett, and Ramirez Call for Investigation, Demand FAA Stop Helping ICE Hide Secret ‘Ghost Flights.’”  

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