The Department of Homeland Security has agreed to purchase six Boeing 737 aircraft for use by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, marking a shift from the agency’s long-standing reliance on charter flights for deportation operations. The contract, valued at nearly $140 million, is with Daedalus Aviation, a Virginia-based company whose executives also hold positions in Salus Worldwide Solutions, a separate firm with a multibillion-dollar contract supporting voluntary “self-deportation” programs.
DHS officials have highlighted the initiative’s potential cost savings and operational efficiency. Tricia McLaughlin, a department spokeswoman, emphasized that the planes will allow ICE to “operate more effectively, including by using more efficient flight patterns,” and noted that the move is projected to save $279 million in taxpayer funds. McLaughlin added that “President Trump and Secretary Noem are committed to quickly and efficiently getting criminal illegal aliens OUT of our country.”
Congress approved significant funding increases for immigration enforcement earlier this year, providing the resources for ICE to expand its operational capacity. The Trump administration has set ambitious goals for deportations, with officials citing more than 579,000 removals and approximately 66,000 immigrants in detention as of late October.
ICE Air Operations has historically contracted flights from commercial providers, a system that allowed previous administrations to scale operations according to enforcement priorities. The new purchase, coupled with expanded funding, represents a significant investment in internal logistical capacity for the agency.
