 "‘More expensive than first-class’: Why did Trump use military plane to send back illegal Indian immigrants?")
Donald Trump has vowed to carry out the largest deportation of illegal immigrants in US history, and his administration is wasting no time in making it happen.
As part of this sweeping crackdown, multiple planes carrying deported migrants are en route to their home countries—including India.
One of the first deportation flights under Trump's new term is a US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian nationals, mostly from Gujarat and Punjab. According to the latest update, the C-17 army plane landed in Amritsar, Punjab on Wednesday after it took off from San Antonio, Texas on February 4.
What makes this deportation stand out isn’t just the numbers—it’s the use of military planes. These aircraft, typically reserved for war zones and disaster relief, are now being deployed for immigration enforcement, costing the American taxpayers “five times more than a first-class ticket”, reported Reuters.
So, why then is the Trump administration using military planes? How much does it cost to deport each immigrant? Here’s a closer look at the numbers.
Expensive price tag
The US typically deports illegal immigrants using commercial charter flights that resemble regular passenger planes, operated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). However, this time, massive military planes, two C-17s and two C-130Es are being deployed for deportation.
Unlike ICE charters, these military flights come with a staggering price tag. According to Reuters, a recent 10-hour military deportation flight to Guatemala “likely cost at least $4,675 [Rs. 4.07 lakh] 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.
By comparison, ICE deportation flights are far cheaper. As per Reuters, “…acting ICE Director Tae Johnson told lawmakers during an April 2023 budget hearing that deportation flights cost $17,000 (about Rs 15 lakh) per flight hour for 135 deportees and typically lasted five hours.”
This would “translate to a cost of $630 (over Rs 54,000) per person, assuming the charter company, and not ICE, pays the cost of the return flight.”
A US official estimated that operating a C-17 military transport aircraft costs $28,500 (Rs 24 lakh) per hour. And the flight to India is the longest yet, lasting more than 12 hours.
When asked about the costs of the mission, A US defence official told CNN, that the military has not begun calculating the total expenses and officials are “moving as quickly as possible with little regard to cost” after Trump declared a national emergency.
According to reports, the military planes have also flown to Latin American countries including Guatemala, Peru, Honduras, and Ecuador. However, not all countries are welcoming these flights.
Colombia flat-out refused to let a US military plane carrying deportees land and instead sent its own planes to collect migrants following a standoff with Trump. Mexico shared the same sentiment, with President Claudia Sheinbaum stating, “They can act within their borders. When it comes to Mexico, we defend our sovereignty and seek out dialogue so as to coordinate.”
So, why is Trump using military planes?
For many, this is Trump walking the talk.
The US President has repeatedly referred to illegal immigrants as “aliens” and “criminals” who have “invaded” America. With the visuals of shackled and handcuffed migrants being loaded onto military aircraft, Trump seems to be sending a message of being tough on such “crimes”.
Recently, speaking at a Republican event, Trump said, “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.”
Since returning to the White House, Trump has taken aggressive steps to curb illegal immigration. He has declared an emergency, deployed 1,500 active-duty troops, including Marines, to the southern border, and directed the Pentagon to shift funds to cover what retired General Glen VanHerck described as “unforeseen, high-priority missions.”
On January 24, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted images of handcuffed migrants tied together and walking toward a military plane on X, writing, “Deportation flights have begun. President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences.”
Over 20,000 Indians on the brink of deportation?
According to a report by The Indian Express, as of November 2024, a staggering 20,407 “undocumented” Indians are facing deportation proceedings in the United States. These individuals are either under “final removal orders” or currently detained in ICE facilities.
Of this total, 17,940 Indians are not in detention but have been issued final removal orders, meaning their deportation is imminent. Meanwhile, another 2,467 Indians are being held in ICE detention centres under Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
This makes Indians the fourth-largest nationality in ICE custody and the largest group among Asians. Overall, ICE was detaining more than 37,000 non-citizens from various countries as of November 2024.
Also read: US plane carrying 104 deported Indians to land in Amritsar today: What happens next?
The Indian government has made it clear that it is willing to accept deported nationals from the US, provided their citizenship is verified.
“Illegal immigration is often linked to other unlawful activities. It is neither desirable nor beneficial for our reputation. If any of our citizens are found to be in the US illegally, and we verify their citizenship, we are open to their lawful return to India,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed this stance to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a meeting last month.
Trump following his phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 27 indicated that India is fully on board with these deportations, saying India “will do what is right” regarding the return of illegal immigrants.
PM Modi is also expected to visit the US for a two-day trip starting February 12, where he will reportedly hold talks with the US President.
With input from agencies
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