The Trump administration has halted the deployment of military aircraft for the purpose of deporting migrants, citing prohibitive costs, with the final flight occurring on March 1, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Military aircraft, such as the C-17 and C-130, were previously utilized in the administration’s efforts to combat illegal immigration, with approximately 30 C-17 flights and around a dozen C-130 flights conducted since January, transporting migrants to various locations, including India. These military flights were intended to serve as a symbolic reinforcement of the administration’s stringent immigration policies; however, the report indicates that they proved to be both inefficient and expensive when compared to the standard deportation methods employed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which typically utilize commercial flights.
The financial implications are significant, with three deportation flights to India costing approximately $3 million each, while flights to Guantanamo Bay, which transported only a small number of migrants, reached costs of at least $20,000 per individual. The operational expenses for the C-17, which is primarily designed for heavy cargo and troop transport, amount to $28,500 per flight hour, a stark contrast to the $8,500 per hour associated with standard deportation flights managed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Although military deportation flights have been suspended, the administration’s overall immigration policies continue to be enforced. Recent reports indicate that President Trump is expressing frustration over the slow pace of deportations, and DHS is anticipated to maintain deportation efforts through commercial flights, which are deemed more economical and logistically feasible.
