A United States military plane carrying 205 deported Indian migrants landed in Amritsar on Wednesday morning, marking another instance of the US government’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration. The C-17 aircraft, a massive military transport plane, departed from San Antonio, Texas, around 3 AM IST on Tuesday, February 4.
The use of military aircraft for deportation is highly unusual and significantly more expensive compared to traditional commercial charters. According to reports, US President Donald Trump, who won the recent election with a strong stance against illegal immigration, has intensified deportation efforts, leading to a surge in planeload expulsions, including on military flights.
Typically, deportations are carried out via commercial charter planes operated by US Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE). However, the recent shift to military aircraft like the C-17 has raised concerns over the high costs associated with these flights.
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A Reuters analysis compared the cost of military and civilian deportation flights, highlighting the stark difference. A recent military deportation flight to Guatemala, it reported, “likely cost at least $4,675 per migrant…That is more than five times the $853 cost of a one-way first-class ticket on American Airlines” for the same route.
Further data revealed that ICE charter flights cost around $17,000 per flight hour, carrying approximately 135 deportees on five-hour journeys. This results in an estimated cost of $630 per person, assuming the return flight expense is covered by the charter company and not ICE.
The use of military planes for deportations has sparked diplomatic resistance. Recently, Colombia refused to allow a US military aircraft carrying deportees to land, with President Gustavo Petro insisting that deportation flights should be operated via civilian planes instead.
Despite the increased costs and international pushback, the Trump administration appears committed to using military aircraft for deportations, further fueling debates on immigration policy and government spending.
As the US continues its aggressive approach to tackling illegal immigration, the financial and diplomatic ramifications of military deportation flights remain a key point of discussion on the global stage.
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