Why Is the US Using Costly Military Planes for Deportation?
A US military C-17 aircraft carrying 205 deports Indian migrants landed in Amritsar on Wednesday (February 5). The plane took off from San Antonio, Texas, early Tuesday morning. This is part of President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown, but one question remains—why is the US using expensive military planes instead of more affordable civilian flights?
The Shocking Cost Difference: Military vs. Civilian Deportation Flights
Traditionally, the US deports migrants using commercial charter planes operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These flights resemble regular passenger planes and are significantly cheaper. However, despite the enormous costs, the Trump administration has increasingly turned to massive C-17 military planes.
According to Reuters, a recent deportation flight to Guatemala on a military plane “likely cost at least $4,675 per migrant.” For comparison, a first-class ticket on American Airlines for the exact route costs just $853.
Here’s how the costs break down:
- ICE Charter Flights: A five-hour flight for 135 deportees typically costs $17,000 per flight hour, which is about $630 per person.
- Military C-17 Flights Cost $28,500 per hour, making them far more expensive than civilian alternatives.
The deportation flight to India is the longest, with previous military deportation flights going to Guatemala, Peru, Honduras, Ecuador, and Colombia. In one case, Colombia refused to accept migrants arriving on a military plane and instead sent its aircraft to pick them up.
Why Is Trump Using Military Planes for Deportation?
Using military planes appears to be more about symbolism than practicality. Trump has repeatedly referred to illegal immigrants as “aliens” and “criminals” who are “invading” America. The dramatic visuals of deportees being shackled, handcuffed, and marched onto military planes seem to reinforce his tough-on-immigration stance.
Speaking to Republican lawmakers, Trump recently stated:
“For the first time in history, we are locating and loading illegal aliens into military aircraft and flying them back to the places from which they came…We’re respected again after years of laughing at us like we’re stupid people.”
While the approach is costly, it aligns with Trump’s broader immigration messaging—one that is as much about optics as it is about enforcement.
This article originally published at Indianexpress
