DHS Push To Buy ICE Deportation Fleet Could Double Removals To 30,000 A Month

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is pressing ICE to purchase and operate a dedicated fleet of roughly 30 deportation aircraft, moving away from chartered flights. Officials say the shift could increase capacity from about 15,000 removals per month to 30,000–35,000, with estimated costs up to $12 billion and new FAA maintenance and compliance responsibilities. The push leverages recent large appropriations and is echoed in reporting from multiple outlets, signaling a significant operational escalation in removal logistics.