US 6 march 2025 : The illegal immigrants being deported from the United States will now not be flown out in military planes as the Trump administration has stopped using military aircraft for the purpose, reported the Wall Street Journal citing defense officials.
The decision comes after the usage of military aircrafts to deport illegal immigrants to their respective countries or the military base at Guantanamo Bay came at high, unsustainable costs, the WSJ reported.
Deporting illegal immigrants has been a major highlight of President Donald Trump’s harsh crackdown on illegal immigration. He used military aircrafts to send people back home to many countries, including India, to send a clear message of the administration’s seriousness regarding the issue.
“The message is clear: If you break the law, if you are a criminal, you can find your way at Guantanamo Bay,” the WSJ quoted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as saying last week. “You don’t want to be at Guantanamo Bay,” he added.
The last time a military flight was used for deportation was on March 1 and another flight which was scheduled for Thursday was cancelled, said an official. This pause can be extended or even made permanent, officials informed.
$3 million a flight to India
According to flight-tracking data accessed by the WSJ, the C-17 aircraft was used for roughly 30 migrant flights and C-130 aircraft for a dozen such flights to various locations including India, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Honduras, Panama and Guantanamo Bay.
However, these flights were found to be more expensive than using civilian aircrafts for deportation since the military aircrafts took longer routes and carried fewer people, the report said.
Summary: The Trump administration plans to stop using military aircraft for deportations due to the high costs involved, according to a new report.