How ICE uses aircraft to transport detainees
Charter Aircraft
The majority of ICE’s detainee transport is accomplished with the use of private charter aircraft, co-ordinated by its Air Charter Operations Unit. Contracted private companies provide aircraft and aircrew to ICE which are strategically pre-positioned in San Antonio, Texas; Brownsville, Texas; Alexandria, Louisiana; Miami, Florida and Mess, Arizona. These aircraft are then used to either transport detainees between ICE detention facilities in the United States or carry out deportations.
The largest air charter company working with ICE is CSI aviation which was recently awarded a $128 million no-bid contract for its services. CSI aviation then works with a number of subcontractors such as GlobalX Airways which performed 74% of the 1,564 “removal“ flights last year. GroundIce.org is working to identify all air charter companies working with ICE and filed a Freedom of Information Act request on 4/5 seeking this information.
Commercial Flights
ICE’s Commercial Air Operations Unit is responsible for coordinating the transport of detainees by purchasing seats on commercial airlines. This usually accounts for a minority of the detainee transports performed by ICE but continues to be used with several large airlines participating.