Trump Admin to Increase Deportation Flights

The Trump administration reportedly is planning to increase the number of deportation flights this week, including nine to Mexico.

Department of Homeland Security sources confirmed to NewsNation the number of flights to Mexico, which had been receiving an average of one deportation flight per week.

Trump political adviser Stephen Miller said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is flying deportees to far-off destinations.

"We did get illegal aliens, during the Biden administration, from 150 countries," Miller told reporters outside the White House on Friday. "So, ICE sends planes to every country in the world.

"We send planes to Iraq, we send planes to Yemen, we send planes to Haiti, we send planes to Angola. I mean, ICE is sending planes all over the world all the time. Anyone who came here illegally, we're finding them, and we're getting them out."

ICE Air Operations this year has deported more than 142,000 migrants, including 38,000 Mexican nationals, NewsNation reported.

"Now that we have achieved the mission of sealing the border, you're going to see more and more resources and priorities put into the mass deportation program," Miller told reporters, WBNS 10TV reported.

The U.S. deportation flights have challenged Mexican authorities in managing repatriations.

Only about a third of deported Mexicans are checking in at 10 government-run welcome centers near the southern border, NewsNation reported.

Avelo Airlines struck a long-term deal to work with ICE. The company said three of its planes will begin operating charter flights for ICE based out of Mesa, Arizona, starting Monday.

Avelo CEO Andrew Levy said the airline is flying for ICE as part of a "long-term charter program" to support the agency's deportation efforts. The company decided the move would help with expansion and protect jobs, he said.

"We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic," Levy said in a statement, ABC15 Arizona reported.

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