Military Aircraft Make Deportations Controlled and Safe

With a cost-conscious campaign in the US Government, being cost effective is crucial.

(Photo by Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Faithful to his campaign promises, President Donald Trump is rapidly and furiously carrying out deportations of illegal alien criminals. He used military aircraft, most notably the C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft, to do that. However, the use of the large US Air Force airlifter has drawn criticism for its hefty cost per flying hour. Using military aircraft will always be more expensive than similar commercial airplanes. Nonetheless, there are upsides.

Deportations of Illegal Aliens Is a Campaign Promise

When President Trump returned to the Oval Office, he set about keeping a pledge to Americans. People who were in the United States illegally would be returned to their home countries. That process began with the deportations of individuals having committed crimes in the US or who were criminals when they entered the US. Those deportations initially relied on US military aircraft like the C-17 and C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft. As the Daily Caller explained, “The Department of Defense (DOD) will provide military airlift in support of government efforts to deport roughly 5,000 illegal migrants from California and Texas, the DOD announced in a Wednesday [Jan. 22] statement.”

However, using US Air Mobility Command aircraft has drawn criticism as being far too expensive when commercial charter alternatives are available and cheaper. As The Wall Street Journal explained:

“The Trump administration has conducted roughly 30 migrant flights using C-17 aircraft and about a dozen on C-130s, according to flight-tracking data. Destinations included India, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Honduras, Panama, and Guantanamo Bay. But the military flights have taken longer routes and transported fewer migrants at higher cost to taxpayers than the government’s typical deportation flights on civilian aircraft, the Journal found.”

USA Today provided more granularity to the costs. It explained that a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft capable of carrying 102 deportees “with 80 people can cost around $3,919 per person to Guatemala from El Paso, according to an analysis by the El Paso Times using flight tracking software data.” However, a commercial charter carrying the same number of deportees “costs taxpayers roughly $1,169 per person to Guatemala. The calculation is based on only 80 people on a removal flight, though charters generally carry 120 to 125 migrants.

In response to criticism about the costlier military airlift options, again from The Wall Street Journal, “The Trump administration has stopped using military aircraft to fly migrants who entered the U.S. illegally to Guantanamo Bay or other countries, defense officials said.” Despite the cost, there are mitigating circumstances that recommend the use of military aircraft for deporting criminals who are in the US illegally.

Using Military Aircraft Has Benefits

The obvious benefit is that the criminal deportees, many of whom have committed violent offenses, are with the military and onboard ICE officials who provide positive control. There is considerably less potential for violence during the deportation flight as there has been when flights were commercial charters.

Furthermore, much of the cost of the military flight is offset by the training the aircrews receive. It’s a two-fer. Real-world missions provide more training currency for dealing with unfamiliar air controllers and international airfield procedures, including flying in weather with poor visibility and low clouds to use instrument procedures. During longer flights, C-17 pilots get aerial refueling practice, as well. Every opportunity for training is valuable.

Regardless of whether the deportation missions are assigned to military airlift crews, the readiness of aircraft and crews is a top priority of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The Air Mobility Command expects to be used in the future to support ICE. “Air Force Gen. Randall Reed told a subpanel of the Senate Armed Services Committee that his command is ready to resume such transports if Northern Command orders them as part of a mass deportation effort by the Department of Homeland Security,” Stars and Stripes reported. Reed made clear that he is ready to “expect maybe more flights.”

Americans have come to anticipate that when President Trump says he will do something, he does it. Additionally, when it’s clear that there are better, more efficient ways of accomplishing the objectives, he will adopt the less costly option. However, when it comes to transporting violent deportees, it’s good to know there is a ready, capable military option.

The views expressed are those of the author and not of any other affiliate.

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