What happened
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is proceeding with the 'ICE Air' concept, aiming to launch an operation by July 2027 at the latest. This initiative involves ICE owning and operating its own fleet of aircraft rather than solely chartering from existing airlines like Avelo Air, Eastern Air Express, GlobalX Air, Omni Air International, and World Atlantic Airlines. The initial fleet will consist of six Boeing 737-700s (purchased from Avelo) and two Gulfstream G650ERs (C-37Bs). While the government will own the planes, it is seeking contractors to operate the flights. The goal is to increase deportation capacity beyond the current 15,000 per month facilitated by 8-14 chartered planes. The operation is supported by over $75 billion in funding, including $30 billion specifically for deportation efforts