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United States military deportation flight most likely cost more than first class

U.S. President Donald Trump's military deportation flight to Guatemala on Monday likely cost at least $4,675 per migrant, according to data supplied by U.S. and Guatemalan officials. That is more than five times the $853 cost of a oneway first class ticket on American Airlines from El Paso, Texas, the departure point for the flight, according to an evaluation of publicly available air travels.

It is likewise significantly higher than the cost of a. commercial charter flight by U.S. Migration and Customs. Enforcement (ICE). Trump launched the military deportation flights recently as. part of his nationwide emergency declaration on immigration, so. far sending six planeloads of migrants on flights to Latin. America. Only 4 have actually landed, all of them in Guatemala, after Colombia. declined to let 2 U.S. C-17 freight aircraft land and rather. sent its own planes to gather migrants following a standoff. with Trump. A U.S. official, speaking to Reuters on condition of privacy,. estimated the cost to operate a C-17 military transport airplane. is $28,500 per hour. The flight backward and forward to Guatemala, not. consisting of time on the ground or any operations to prepare the. flight for launch, took about 10-1/2 hours in the air to. complete, the authorities stated.

A Guatemalan authorities told Reuters the military transportation. aircraft landed on Monday with 64 people on board.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to an ask for. comment. Trump, speaking at his Doral golf club to Republican lawmakers. on Monday, pledged his extraordinary use of military aircraft for. deportations would continue and any countries that decline will. pay a high financial cost.

For the very first time in history, we are finding and loading. illegal aliens into military aircraft and flying them back to. the places from which they came, Trump stated to applause.

We're respected once again, after years of making fun of us like. we're silly individuals.. White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted images last. week of migrants boarding up the back ramp of a hulking C-17,. revealing, President Trump is sending out a strong and clear. message to the whole world: if you unlawfully enter the United. States of America, you will deal with extreme effects.

HIGH PRICE TAG

The C-17 cost is considerably higher than the. option: industrial aircraft chartered by ICE.

Expenses for the charter ICE flights vary. According to. details posted on ICE's site in 2021, the expense for Ice. Air flights is $8,577 per flight hour. However acting ICE Director. Tae Johnson told lawmakers throughout an April 2023 spending plan hearing. that deportation flights cost $17,000 per flight hour for 135. deportees and normally lasted 5 hours. The higher figure given by Johnson would equate to a cost of. $ 630 per individual, presuming the charter company, and not ICE, pays. the cost of the return flight. A previous ICE official said the. expense had actually risen a little considering that 2023.

ICE says it transports detainees on chartered Boeing 737 or. McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series aircraft.

The Pentagon said last week the U.S. military would supply. flights for the deportations of more than 5,000 immigrants held. by U.S. authorities in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego,. California.

(source: Reuters)