Chicago – February 04, 2025
A U.S. military plane is taking migrants to India, marking the longest destination for the Trump administration’s deportation flights, according to a U.S. official. President Donald Trump has been using the military more to carry out his immigration policies, including sending troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, using military planes to deport migrants, and housing them on military bases.
The official, who asked to remain anonymous, said the military’s C-17 aircraft carrying migrants left for India but would not arrive for at least 24 hours. The Pentagon has also started using planes to deport over 5,000 immigrants from U.S. detention centers in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California.
Previously, military flights have been used to deport migrants to countries like Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras. These flights are expensive, with a recent flight to Guatemala costing at least $4,675 per migrant, according to a Reuters report.