Thu Mar 06 07:03:53 UTC 2025: ## US Halts Military Deportation Flights Due to High Costs

**Washington D.C.** – The Trump administration has reportedly ceased using military aircraft for the deportation of illegal immigrants due to exorbitant costs, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The last military deportation flight departed the US on March 1st, marking a potential permanent end to the practice.

The use of military planes, such as C-17s and C-130s, began shortly after President Trump took office, ostensibly to send a strong message about the administration’s tough stance on illegal immigration. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth even highlighted the use of Guantanamo Bay as a destination, stating, “If you break the law, if you are a criminal, you can find your way at Guantanamo Bay.”

However, the strategy proved far more expensive than using commercial flights, the traditional method overseen by the Department of Homeland Security. The WSJ report revealed that three deportation flights to India alone cost $3 million each, while flights to Guantanamo, carrying only a dozen individuals, cost at least $20,000 per person. These costs significantly outweighed the approximately $8,500 per flight hour for standard ICE flights (rising to $17,000 for international trips), compared to the $28,500 per hour cost of a C-17. 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 inflated the costs. Several countries opted to send their own aircraft or arrange for commercial flights to repatriate their citizens.

Flight-tracking data shows that approximately 30 flights using C-17 aircraft and a dozen using C-130s were conducted under the Trump administration, deporting individuals to countries including India, Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Ecuador, and Guantanamo Bay. Reports from Indian deportees detail harsh conditions during these military flights, describing being shackled throughout the journey.

The pause on military deportation flights could be extended indefinitely, signaling a shift in the administration’s approach to immigration enforcement due to budgetary concerns. The long-term implications of this change for immigration policy remain to be seen.

Read More