US Launches Its Own Deportation Airline

Well, it seems like Trump is eyeing a comeback to the aviation industry. This time, however, it’s not about luxury travel; it’s more along the lines of a dedicated deportation fleet, reminiscent of the infamous “Trump Shuttle.”

ICE Considering Its Own Fleet for Deportations

For what feels like ages, the United States has been farming out deportation flights to other airlines. At the moment, the roster includes Avelo Air, Eastern Air Express, GlobalX Air, Omni Air International, and World Atlantic Airlines. For these companies, it’s a bit of a cash cow, ensuring a continuous flow of revenue.

The aim here is crystal clear: the Trump administration is bent on cranking up deportation numbers. He’s thrown down the gauntlet, pledging to send one million undocumented immigrants packing every year. Just in the initial six months of his reign, ICE managed to deport somewhere between 100,000 and 150,000 individuals, counting both deportations and voluntary departures.

But hey, if Trump wants to hit that ambitious target, the deportation machine needs to rev up considerably. Enter NBC News: it’s reported that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is advocating for ICE to get its very own planes to ramp up monthly deportations by double.

Right now, ICE charters anywhere from 8 to 14 aircraft for these flights, allowing for approximately 15,000 deportations each month. Just imagine if “ICE Air” added 30 planes or more to its ranks—there’d be no more hanging onto the whims of business contracts. With more detainees come more flights to ensure detention centers don’t start bursting at the seams.

Acquiring planes is no small financial feat, yet Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” has shot up ICE’s funding in a major way. They’re sitting on a cool $75 billion, with $30 billion slated for deportation efforts alone, a far cry from their previous $9.5 billion yearly budget.

The estimated cost for a deportation flight hovers around $25,000 per hour, covering the aircraft, crew, security, and medical—bringing your average trip’s cost somewhere in the realm of $100,000 to $200,000.

The Government and Its Potential Deportation Airline

Let’s bypass the exhaustingly polarizing debate over Trump’s deportation policies for now. Everyone’s got their entrenched beliefs, and a comments section isn’t going to be a game-changer. Instead, let’s focus on the logistics of flying.

If deporting people is on the agenda, does it make more sense to hire out the flights or should Uncle Sam don a pilot’s cap and get airborne? Here are a few musings…

• Is a lack of chartered planes truly the bottleneck here? It’s a bit surprising, considering airlines like Avelo Air might have some spare capacity. And really, isn’t this Spirit Airlines’ big chance to boost its profit margins? I find it tough to believe that contracting more planes is like pulling teeth.
• Is the government directly handling aircraft bringing more efficiency? Airlines tend to run a pretty tight ship, and I doubt they’re raking in colossal margins on these charters. Somehow, I suspect a bit of the efficiency might get lost if the government takes the reins.
• Using charters has an appealing flexibility: capacity can be tweaked to meet varying demands. If we’re going to assume that the landscape of undocumented immigration shifts notably—let’s say, with “borders are now closed”—then wouldn’t the demand for deportation possibly decrease?

Wrapping It Up

The Trump administration is reportedly dabbling with the idea of commandeering its deportation flights by securing planes and ramping up deportation efforts. Currently, the methodology involves hiring planes from airlines, but with a financial windfall bolstering ICE, the government is mulling a full-scale takeoff into its aviation venture.

In my view, the efficiency of such a move is questionable. Is it genuinely a struggle to charter enough aircraft from the commercial segment? Call me skeptical.

What’s your take on the “ICE Air” initiative?

While you’re mulling that over, perhaps a quick jaunt to the Val Seny ski resort could clear the mind?