Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is urging Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to create a government-owned airline to deport illegal immigrants, according to two sources familiar with internal discussions. The proposal, fueled by a massive influx of cash from President Donald Trump’s spending law, could mark a historic shift in how America carries out deportations — and sharply increase their frequency.
Currently, ICE relies on private charter companies to remove immigrants from the country, typically using a rotating fleet of 8 to 14 planes at a time. But under Noem’s vision, ICE would purchase and operate its own dedicated fleet — potentially doubling or even tripling monthly deportations.
“If the goal is to get to 30,000 to 35,000 removals a month, you would need to double the number of planes,” said Jason Houser, former ICE Chief of Staff under the Biden administration. “That means purchasing about 30 aircraft.”
Under the current charter model, ICE deportation flights cost between $100,000 and $200,000 per mission, with hourly rates near $25,000. These costs include aircraft leases, crew, medical personnel, and onboard security.
Charter companies often serve multiple clients, from sports teams to political campaigns. ICE, meanwhile, must compete for flight availability — a bottleneck Noem believes can be resolved through government ownership.
While the concept is not new, previous administrations, including Biden’s, lacked the funding or political will to pursue it. Now, with what Trump calls his “big, beautiful bill” — a sprawling $1.5 trillion homeland security and defense package — ICE has access to over $75 billion, including $30 billion specifically earmarked for deportation efforts.
To meet its goals, ICE would need to purchase approximately 30 aircraft, possibly used commercial airliners, at a potential cost of $2.4 billion to $12 billion, based on estimates from aviation experts at the Pilot Institute.
Operating such a fleet would require not just capital investment, but also permanent staffing: trained pilots, medics, flight attendants, ICE agents, and mechanics, along with infrastructure to comply with FAA regulations.
While some critics — particularly immigration advocates — insist that Noem’s push represents a further militarization of immigration enforcement, others say it’s a practical response to growing operational demands.
ICE has already chartered more than 1,000 deportation flights this year alone, and rising detention numbers are creating pressure for faster processing and removal.
Even Jason Houser, who served during a Democratic administration, admitted he explored similar ideas.
“We only ever had 13 to 14 planes because of the amount of money and resources,” he said. “But if you’re serious about mass removals, this is the next step.”
Trump has vowed to deport 1 million illegal immigrants per year, and Secretary Noem’s strategy is seen as essential to hitting that mark.
Though for critics, the prospect of a government-run deportation airline raises civil liberties and humanitarian concerns.
DHS has not commented publicly on the proposal, and it’s unclear if an aircraft procurement process has formally begun. But with new funding locked in, insiders say it’s only a matter of time.
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