According to security officers, the Trump presidency has suspended the use of military aviation for deporting workers, citing high fees and errors, as reported by Wall Street Journal. No further airlines are now scheduled, according to officials, and the last of these flights occurred on March 1.
The use of military aircraft was intended to send a powerful message about the government’s crackdown on illegal emigration, which was originally intended to be a part of President Donald Trump’s conservative immigration laws. The message is clear, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth,” You don’t want to be at Guantanamo Bay,” he said.
The leadership has flown about 42 imprisonment flights to countries including India, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Honduras, Panama, and Guantanamo Bay using C-17 and C-130 military aircraft since the plan’s application. These airlines, however, cost a lot, with some Guantanamo airlines costing$ 20,000 per immigrant and imprisonment airlines to India costing$ 3 million each.
Comparably, a C-17 military aircraft’s flight hour costs$ 28, 500 per hour, according to US Transportation Command, while standard US Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) flights on civilian aircraft cost between$ 8, 500 and$ 17, 000 per flight hour. Also, restrictions on US martial aircraft entering Mexico’s airport have increased travel time and costs.
Some Latin American nations have flown deported people over US defense aircraft. Gustavo Petro, the president of Colombia, blocked two C-17 airlines in January, causing Trump to threaten taxes. No US martial aircraft have flown it despite after being made aware that Colombia had agreed to accept emigrants. Colombia and Venezuela have rather transported deported people using their own commercial airlines.
No final decision has been made, but officials did say that the military repatriation flights could be suspended temporarily or permanently.
