ICE Considers Building Its Own Airline to Expand Deportation Efforts

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is reportedly advocating for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to establish its own fleet of airplanes for deporting immigrants. This plan would involve ICE purchasing, owning, and operating its own aircraft, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Former officials suggest that while this could be expensive, it might enable the agency to significantly increase the number of monthly deportations.

Currently, ICE relies on chartered planes for deportation flights. The agency typically charters a number of planes at a time. According to Jason Houser, who served as ICE chief of staff, this allowed the Biden administration to deport approximately 15,000 immigrants monthly. To potentially double this number, Houser estimates that ICE would need to acquire roughly 30 planes.

Owning its own fleet would free ICE from the limitations imposed by charter companies, which serve multiple clients. The Trump administration has set a goal of deporting one million undocumented immigrants annually. While the exact number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. is debated, it is estimated to be in the millions.

The cost of acquiring commercial airliners can range from $80 million to $400 million each. Purchasing 30 passenger jets could therefore cost between $2.4 billion and $12 billion. If ICE were to create its own air fleet, the agency would also be responsible for staffing the planes with pilots, medical personnel, and security, as well as maintaining the aircraft and ensuring compliance with aviation regulations.

Secretary Noem may have the financial resources to pursue this plan, thanks to a significant allocation of funds for ICE deportation efforts. This funding has substantially increased ICE's annual budget. As ICE increases the number of people it detains, more deportations are needed to avoid overcrowding in detention centers.

Charter flights are costly, with each flight costing approximately $25,000 per hour. This includes the cost of the plane, pilots, flight attendants, security, and medical personnel. When not in use by ICE, these chartered planes are leased to other clients. Houser considered the possibility of ICE owning its own planes during the Biden administration but lacked the necessary funding. He noted that each charter flight cost between $100,000 and $200,000.