Thu Mar 06 07:03:53 UTC 2025: ## Trump Administration Halts Costly Military Deportation Flights
**Washington, D.C.** – The Trump administration has reportedly ceased using military aircraft for deporting illegal immigrants, citing exorbitant costs. The last such flight departed the U.S. on March 1st, according to a report in *The Wall Street Journal*. While the pause may be temporary, a permanent end to the practice is possible.
The use of military planes, primarily C-17s and C-130s, began shortly after President Trump took office as a symbolic display of his tough stance on immigration. These flights transported migrants to their home countries and to Guantanamo Bay. However, the strategy proved significantly more expensive and less efficient than using commercial flights, the *WSJ* reported.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a recent statement, emphasized the intended deterrent effect: “If you break the law, if you are a criminal, you can find your way at Guantanamo Bay.” He added, “You don’t want to be at Guantanamo Bay.”
Flight-tracking data reveals approximately 30 deportation flights using C-17s and a dozen using C-130s, carrying individuals to countries including India, Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Ecuador, and Guantanamo Bay. Reports from Indian deportees describe harsh conditions during these flights, with detainees shackled throughout the journey.
The *WSJ* report highlights the stark cost difference. Three deportation flights to India alone cost an estimated $3 million each, while flights to Guantanamo, carrying only a dozen people, cost at least $20,000 per migrant. This contrasts sharply with the cost of standard ICE flights, averaging $8,500 per flight hour domestically and approximately $17,000 internationally. The cost of operating a C-17 is significantly higher, at $28,500 per hour.
The longer flight routes necessitated by the refusal of Mexico and other Latin American countries (including Colombia and Venezuela) to allow military aircraft to land in their airspace further increased expenses. In response to Colombia’s denial of landing rights, President Trump threatened tariffs, but ultimately, Colombia utilized its own aircraft for deportations. Venezuela also sent commercial flights to retrieve its citizens.
The decision to halt military deportation flights marks a significant shift in the administration’s approach to immigration enforcement, driven primarily by budgetary concerns and logistical challenges.
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