The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Wednesday that it has agreed to purchase six Boeing 737 aircraft to be used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation operations.
The contract, valued at nearly $140 million, is with Daedalus Aviation, a Virginia-based company. DHS stated that the planes are intended to improve the efficiency of ICE’s deportation flights, which are currently largely conducted through charter services. Officials noted that the new aircraft will allow ICE to operate more cost-effectively, including by using more efficient flight patterns, potentially saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
DHS emphasized that the initiative aligns with the administration’s commitment to swiftly removing criminal undocumented immigrants from the U.S. The purchase follows broader efforts by the government to expand deportation operations, including programs that encourage voluntary departures.