Trump’s DHS locks in its own Boeing fleet as administration turbocharges deportation crackdown
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently finalized a significant deal to acquire a fleet of Boeing 737 planes aimed at bolstering the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation strategy. This initiative is part of a broader immigration enforcement agenda that seeks to expedite the removal of unauthorized immigrants from the United States. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin expressed satisfaction with the media’s focus on this cost-effective approach, highlighting that the new fleet will save taxpayers approximately $279 million by optimizing flight patterns for deportations. This deal, reported first by The Washington Post, stems from a substantial $170 billion funding package approved by Congress in July, which was part of Trump’s broader legislative agenda covering taxes, immigration, energy, and national defense.
The decision to enhance deportation efforts comes amidst a backdrop of rising unauthorized immigration, with the Pew Research Center reporting that the undocumented population in the U.S. reached a staggering 14 million in 2023. Since taking office, the Trump administration has actively sought to reverse Biden-era immigration policies, initiating over 1,700 deportation flights despite facing numerous legal challenges. McLaughlin noted that more than 2 million illegal immigrants have been removed or self-deported in a short span of time, indicating a concerted effort to target what the administration describes as “criminal illegal aliens.” Critics, particularly from the Democratic Party, have condemned these operations, arguing that they create an atmosphere of fear and disrupt communities. California Governor Gavin Newsom, for instance, criticized the aggressive tactics employed by federal officers, framing them as a misguided display of strength that unnecessarily traumatizes families and children.
As the Trump administration gears up for the 2024 election, immigration remains a central issue in its campaign, with a focus on reversing policies that they believe have contributed to the surge in illegal immigration. The acquisition of these Boeing planes is emblematic of the administration’s commitment to a hardline stance on immigration, as it seeks to reassure its base that it is taking decisive action to restore order and safety in American communities. With the ongoing debates around immigration policy intensifying, this latest move by DHS will likely fuel further discussions about the balance between enforcement and compassion in dealing with undocumented individuals in the United States.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KZmgEjVf64
The Department of Homeland Security inked a deal to purchase a fleet of Boeing planes to carry out the Trump administration’s ongoing
deportation efforts,
Fox News Digital learned.
“We are delighted to see the media is highlighting the Trump administration’s cost-effective and innovative ways of delivering on the American people’s mandate for mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens,” Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital Wednesday.
“This new initiative will save $279 million in taxpayer dollars by allowing ICE to operate more effectively, including by using more efficient flight patterns,” she added.
The
Washington Post
first reported Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security signed a deal to purchase six Boeing 737 planes for deportations. The funding stems from the “big, beautiful bill” approved by Congress and signed into law by President
Donald Trump
in July that advances his agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt.
DETAINED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL FACE $5K ‘APPREHENSION FEE’: BORDER PATROL CHIEF
Congress approved $170 billion for various border and immigration efforts, the outlet reported.
The deal was signed with Daedalus Aviation, a commercial and charter aviation service company established in Virginia in 2024, according to the Post. Fox News Digital reached out to Daedalus Aviation Wednesday afternoon for additional comment but did not immediately receive a reply.
“President Trump and Secretary Noem are committed to quickly and efficiently getting criminal
illegal aliens
OUT of our country,” McLaughlin added in a statement to Fox News Digital.
DHS LAUNCHES NEW IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN OPERATION IN NEW ORLEANS
Trump’s 2024 election campaign focused on removing illegal immigrants who flooded the nation under the Biden administration. The unauthorized immigrant population in the U.S. soared to an all-time high of 14 million in 2023 under the Biden administration, a report published by the Pew Research Center in August found.
The Trump administration has been working to detain and remove the millions of illegal immigrants since Trump’s first day in office — when he signed an executive order rescinding Biden-era enforcement limits. The Trump administration has carried out more than 1,700 deportation flights, which have been met with legal battles, since Jan. 20, according to a watchdog report.
CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS SLAM NEWSOM, BASS FOR LETTING LA BURN WITH RIOTS AMID TRUMP IMMIGRATION BLITZ
Democrats have slammed the administration’s deportation efforts, including during riots in Los Angeles in early June as local leaders, such as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, denounced immigration raids in public statements while offering words of support for illegal immigrants in the state.
“They’re sitting there on horses with American flags, running through soccer fields, scaring kids that are playing soccer in the middle of the day at a summer camp. For what? Just toughness,” Newsom said of the raids and federal officers during an interview in July. “It’s a weakness masquerading as strength.
McLaughlin celebrated in September that more than 2 million illegal immigrants were removed or self-deported from the U.S. since Trump’s return to the Oval Office.
“The numbers don’t lie: 2 million illegal aliens have been removed or self-deported in just 250 days— proving that President Trump’s policies and Secretary Noem’s leadership are working and making American communities safe,” McLaughlin
said in a statement.
“Ramped-up immigration enforcement targeting the worst of the worst is removing more and more criminal illegal aliens off our streets every day and is sending a clear message to anyone else in this country illegally: Self-deport or we will arrest and deport you,” she added.
