Here's how much the US spent to send illegal Indian immigrants back home

A US Air Force cargo plane landed in Amritsar on Wednesday with 104 Indian nationals deported for illegal entry, marking the first known use of military aircraft for such deportations

The Trump administration has escalated its approach to deporting illegal migrants by using military aircraft, signalling a strong stance on immigration enforcement.

 

While these military flights may be effective for political messaging, they come at a significant cost. A recent deportation flight to India, for instance, cost around $1 million, according to an AFP analysis. In fact, the cost of using military planes for deportation is often over three times more expensive than using civilian aircraft.

 

President Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to execute the largest deportation operation in US history. While the majority of deportations target migrants from Latin America, some are being sent to much farther destinations, including countries in Asia.

First use of military aircraft for Indian deportations

On Wednesday, a US Air Force cargo plane landed in Amritsar, carrying 104 Indian nationals who had illegally entered the United States. This marked the first known use of military aircraft to deport individuals to India.

 

The deportation flight utilised the C-17A Globemaster III, a large military transport aircraft capable of carrying troops, vehicles, and supplies. Since its introduction in 1995, the Globemaster has been a reliable workhorse for the US Air Force and has been deployed in military operations worldwide. 

 

Operating military flights is significantly more expensive than using chartered civilian aircraft, which are also used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportations. ICE's charter flights cost approximately $8,577 per flight hour, though flights for high-risk migrants may cost more. In contrast, the cost to operate a C-17 aircraft is $28,562 per hour, based on data from the US Air Mobility Command.

Additional costs

Military flights also incur additional expenses due to their unique flight paths and the need for refueling at military air bases rather than commercial airports. A flight tracking tool, Flightradar24, shows that the deportation flight from California took a detour, flying from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to various locations in the Pacific before reaching its destination in India. This extended flight route added to the overall cost of the operation.

Cost breakdown

The total cost of the deportation flight, including its return to a US base, is estimated to exceed $1 million, translating to more than $10,000 per individual deported. For comparison, a one-way commercial flight from San Francisco to New Delhi costs around $500, or $4,000 in business class.

 

[With agency inputs]