DHS Debates Acquisition of Aircraft to Lower Chartering Costs

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may be looking to create its own sort of airline for deporting illegal immigrants, aiming to cut the expenses of chartering aircraft. The agency would need to almost double the fleet it currently charters to meet its target number of deportations.

The department currently contracts eight to 14 aircraft at a time, staging them from bases in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and Arizona. These are typically Boeing 737s or older MD-80s for routine flights, larger widebodies like 777s for high-risk or long-range missions, and smaller Gulfstream jets to fill in on sensitive transfers. The cost adds up quickly, with daily scheduled charters running about $8,577 per flight hour. High-risk charters can range anywhere from $6,929 to nearly $27,000 per hour, depending on the aircraft type.

ICE Air, the DHS division responsible for removals, currently transports approximately 15,000 migrants per month using this system. But the administration’s stated target is 30,000 to 35,000 deportations each month, more than doubling today’s numbers. To do so, officials estimate that DHS would need around 30 aircraft fully dedicated to removals.

Funding is, of course, part of the problem. However, it’s not as big a roadblock as many would expect due to Congress recently approving more than $75 billion for DHS, including $30 billion earmarked for deportation efforts. With that scale of money available, officials argue it could make more sense to buy and staff a fleet outright rather than paying operators year after year. Secretary Kristi Noem is said to be among those backing the idea, claiming that it is a solid cost-cutting measure and a way to secure reliable transportation.

The decision would also soothe some of the political tensions that come with reliance on commercial carriers. Avelo Airlines, one of the smaller ULCCs that signed on to operate deportation flights, faced public backlash and boycotts earlier this year. The criticism tied into the airline’s financial troubles and its announcement in July that it would close its Burbank base. Other contractors have faced similar blowback, raising questions about whether DHS can continue to lean on airlines without bringing them down with it.

FMI: www.dhs.gov