ICE Considers Setting Up Its Own Airline

Agency is looking to ramp up deportations.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, August 26, 2025 at 07:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act puts aside $75 billion for ICE, which the agency could use to set up its own airline. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are reportedly considering establishing their own dedicated airline for deporting immigrants.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is pushing for this initiative, aiming to increase the capacity for deportations and meet ambitious targets, a shift from current reliance on outside contractors.
While a substantial influx of federal funding (up to $75 billion) could finance aircraft purchases, setting up this airline would incur significant new expenses for operations, maintenance, and staffing (pilots, mechanics, security), and would likely take months or years to become fully operational.

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Officials with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are reportedly considering setting up a new airline for the sole purpose of deporting immigrants from the country.

According to NBC News, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wants ICE to use an influx of federal dollars to buy and operate its own aircraft for deportation flights. Sources who spoke to the news outlet said the move would allow ICE to deport many more people per month but would also bring on new expenses, like the cost of maintaining and repairing airplanes.