President Donald Trump has stepped up his immigration crackdown by deploying deportation flights from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to deport thousands of migrants. This move involved deploying military aircraft and raised eyebrows because it seemed so cost-ineffective.In particular, using C-17s and C-130Es in military flights is way costlier than DHS chartering its flights, thus causing more concerns about how long the spending would continue.
Deportation Flights C-17 and C-130E Aircraft Racking Up High Costs
The C-17 military aircraft, which costs about $21,000 per hour, has been used for what is called “migrant repatriation flights.” A recent example was a 12-hour flight from El Paso, Texas, to Guatemala City, carrying 80 migrants. That flight likely cost $252,000, said the DOD comptroller. By contrast, the C-130E plane, with its estimated cost per hour between $68,000 and $71,000, logged an estimated total of $816,000 to $852,000 for comparable journeys. Meanwhile, a DHS charter flight would cover the same route for a whopping $8,577.
Declaration of National Emergency Activates the Military
This has been despite the criticism of the high costs. Trump’s declaration of a national emergency hastened deportation. Little care was taken regarding the financial impact. The U.S. military is directed to provide active-duty personnel at the border. This personnel will assist in deportations, but rather expensive flights. A U.S. defense official confirmed the departments did not yet know the full extent of the costs for these operations, which would concentrate mainly on rapid execution.
Controversy Surrounds ICE Raids
In addition to the deportation flights, recent raids by ICE have been controversial. Several people who were detained in Newark included U.S. citizens and a military veteran. Mayor Ras Baraka had condemned the raids, citing violation of Fourth Amendment rights and also condemning the treatment accorded to the military veteran.
