Trump Admin's Use Of Military Flights To Deport Migrants Is Much More Expensive Than Civilian Planes, Report Shows

The Donald Trump administration's use of military planes to ship deportees off the U.S. has a much higher cost than civilian aircraft, a new investigation shows.

According to the recent Wall Street Journal analysis, using military planes, like the C-17 Globemaster III, costs the government around $28,500 per flight hour, while holding roughly only 80 migrants. Meanwhile, flights that use commercial planes like the Airbus A320, costs roughly $17,000 per flight hour while holding around 135 migrants.

However, there are other costs that increase the price tag of military aircrafts even more. The C-17 planes don't use Mexico's airspace, increasing the time of flight of each trip. That is because Mexico requires diplomatic clearance at least seven days in advance for each such flight, an unnamed defense official told The Wall Street Journal.

To illustrate the cost difference, the Journal looks at a deportation flight from El Paso to Guatemala City that took place on Jan. 24.

In a civilian aircraft, the flight lasts 3 hours and 17 minutes, carrying 105 migrants and costing the government approximately $55,000. Meanwhile, with the military aircraft, the flight lasted 5 hours and 49 minutes, carrying only 80 migrants, but costing the government around $166,000 in flight time. The total costs double given the fact that those planes also make a return flight to the U.S.

Similarly, a recent controversial deportation flight to India, the longest trip yet in Trump's deportation efforts, which transported about 100 migrants using a military aircraft, could have cost the government around $2.8 million. The trip took seven stops along the way to India, refueling twice in Hawaii and Japan.

It remains unclear why military airplanes are being used for deportations, given that they've rarely been used for such purposes in the past. However, The New York Times explains that its usage may be symbolic rather than practical.

Back in January, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, posted images of migrants filing onto a slate-gray C-17 Air Force plane, while chained together. The caption read, "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."

But despite the costs, government officials insist that these flights will continue. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth particularly promised to proceed with this practice. On his first day on the job, he said "This Pentagon snapped to last week." along with adding barriers and troops at the U.S. southern border, he said the military had also moved to "ensure mass deportations."

He added: "That is something the Defense Department absolutely will continue to do."