Washington: A U.S. military aircraft is deporting migrants to India, marking the farthest destination for military transport flights under the Trump administration’s immigration policies, a U.S. official confirmed on Monday.
President Donald Trump has increasingly leveraged the military to implement his immigration agenda, including deploying additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, utilizing military aircraft for deportation purposes, and repurposing military bases to house migrants.
According to an official speaking on condition of anonymity, a C-17 military aircraft departed with migrants onboard en route to India. However, the journey is expected to take at least 24 hours before reaching its final destination.
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The Pentagon has also expanded its deportation efforts, providing flights for over 5,000 immigrants detained in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California. To date, U.S. military aircraft have transported migrants to Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras.
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The use of military flights for deportation comes at a significant financial cost. A recent military deportation flight to Guatemala was estimated to cost at least $4,675 per migrant, according to a Reuters report.
