ICE AIR SURGE: 727 DOMESTIC DETAINEE FLIGHTS IN JULY AS TAIL NUMBERS GO DARK

CNN documents a sharp rise in ICE air operations under the Trump administration, including 1,000+ deportation flights since inauguration and a July peak of 727 domestic “shuffle” flights moving detainees between U.S. facilities. Private contractors and a commercial airline play key roles as the prime ICE Air broker contract expands. Since March, operators increasingly mask tail numbers and switch to the "Tyson" call sign after an FAA privacy rule change, making flights hard to track and raising accountability concerns for families and watchdogs.