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According to an AFP analysis, a round-trip journey from the United States to India that lasts ten hours would cost approximately $285,620 using a military aircraft versus $85,770 for a charter flight. That means the Indian deportation flight could have cost as much as $571,240 in total, or three times more than it would have cost with a charter plane. Despite the higher cost, ICE frequently uses military aircraft to transport people to and from remote locations where no commercial flights are available. According to an ICE official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, when necessary, ICE can utilize military aircraft for missions to move detainees from one location to another or out of the country. According to information released by the US Air Force in February, the Globemaster III has a total flight range of 4,200 nautical miles (7,800 kilometers) and a maximum payload capacity of 170,900 pounds (77.5 tons). The C-17 can transport up to 102 passengers, which is why it was utilized for Wednesday's deportation flight. Despite the high cost, ICE has employed military aircraft for many years and has no immediate intentions to change its practice of using them when necessary. ICE spokesperson Nathalie Asher stated in a statement that the safety and security of detainees remains paramount in all operations. According to an ICE official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, the cost is ultimately negligible compared to the overall immigration budget.
According to an AFP analysis, a round-trip journey from the United States to India that lasts ten hours would cost approximately $285,620 using a military aircraft versus $85,770 for a charter flight. That means the Indian deportation flight could have cost as much as $571,240 in total, or three times more than it would have cost with a charter plane. Despite the higher cost, ICE frequently uses military aircraft to transport people to and from remote locations where no commercial flights are available. According to an ICE official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, when necessary, ICE can utilize military aircraft for missions to move detainees from one location to another or out of the country. According to information released by the US Air Force in February, the Globemaster III has a total flight range of 4,200 nautical miles (7,800 kilometers) and a maximum payload capacity of 170,900 pounds (77.5 tons). The C-17 can transport up to 102 passengers, which is why it was utilized for Wednesday's deportation flight. Despite the high cost, ICE has employed military aircraft for many years and has no immediate intentions to change its practice of using them when necessary. ICE spokesperson Nathalie Asher stated in a statement that the safety and security of detainees remains paramount in all operations. According to an ICE official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, the cost is ultimately negligible compared to the overall immigration budget.
The Impact of India Deportation Flight Likely Costing the U.S. More Than $1M
The Trump administration has started using military aircraft to demonstrate its dedication to deport undocumented immigrants. Although the optics are advantageous for political theater, these flights can be expensive, with a recent deportation flight to India costing as much as $1 million, according to an AFP analysis.
In fact, military flights can cost three times more than civilian trips, data shows.
President Donald Trump ran on a promise to carry out the biggest deportation in the history of America. While most of the migrants targeted for expulsion come from Latin America, some are also being sent back much further across the globe.
On Wednesday, a US Air Force cargo plane landed in Amritsar, India, carrying 104 Indian nationals who had entered the United States illegally, according to a US government statement.
The flight is believed to be the first use of a military aircraft to deport people to India.
Images captured by an AFP photographer show that the plane used is a C-17A Globemaster III, a large military aircraft capable of transporting troops, vehicles, and supplies.
The Globemaster is a workhorse of the US Air Force, and it has been used in military theatres worldwide since it was first added to the fleet in 1995.
However, military flights are much more costly to operate than the charter flights that are also utilized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportations.
According to information released by ICE in 2021, the cost of a charter flight is $8,577 per flight hour, although flights transporting high-risk migrants may cost more.
The use of C-17 aircraft in transport operations is charged at $28,562 per hour, according to documents published by US Air Mobility Command.
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