TUCSON, Ariz. (KPHO/Gray News) — The military has helped fly dozens of immigrants without legal status out of the United States.
On Friday, the White House confirmed that deportation flights had started.
Photos posted by the Department of Defense show U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents loading dozens of people with their belongings and water bottles onto a C-17 Globemaster III at Tucson International Airport on Thursday night. The C-17 was flown to Guatemala.
Illegal aliens await takeoff for a removal flight at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by Senior Airman Devlin Bishop)(Senior Airman Devlin Bishop | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Airmen and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents prepare to load C-17 Globemaster III for a removal flight at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by TSgt Kimberly Nagle)(Tech. Sgt. Kimberly Nagle | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Customs and Border Protection security agents guide illegal aliens onboard a C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the 60th Air Mobility Wing for a removal flight at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La Pena)(Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents guide illegal aliens to board C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by Senior Airman Devlin Bishop)(Senior Airman Devlin Bishop | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) Illegal aliens prepare to board a C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the 60th Air Mobility Wing for a removal flight at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La Pena)(Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Airmen and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents load items onto a to C-17 Globemaster III at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by TSgt Kimberly Nagle)(Tech. Sgt. Kimberly Nagle | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Customs and Border Protection members load illegal aliens on a C-17 Globemaster III at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by TSgt Kimberly Nagle)(Tech. Sgt. Kimberly Nagle | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents load water bottles and illegal aliens' personal belongings onto a C-17 Globemaster III at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by Senior Airman Devlin Bishop)(Senior Airman Devlin Bishop | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) Escorted by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent, an illegal alien departs a transport vehicle before boarding a removal flight at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La Pena)(Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Airmen and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents personnel prepare to load illegal aliens onto a C-17 Globemaster III at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by Senior Airman Devlin Bishop)(Senior Airman Devlin Bishop | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents load illegal aliens onto a C-17 Globemaster III at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by TSgt Kimberly Nagle)(Tech. Sgt. Kimberly Nagle | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents guide illegal aliens onboard a C-17 Globemaster III at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by Senior Airman Devlin Bishop)(Senior Airman Devlin Bishop | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents guide illegal aliens onto a C-17 Globemaster III at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by Senior Airman Devlin Bishop)(Senior Airman Devlin Bishop | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) Illegal aliens await takeoff in a A C-17 Globemaster III for a removal flight at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2024. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by TSgt Kimberly Nagle)(Tech. Sgt. Kimberly Nagle | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Airmen and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents guide illegal aliens onto a e C-17 Globemaster III at the Tucson International Airport, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift.. (Dept. of Defense photo by Senior Airman Devlin Bishop)(Senior Airman Devlin Bishop | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents guide an illegal alien to board a removal flight at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La Pena)(Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents guide illegal aliens departing transport vehicles at Fort Bliss, Texas, prior to a removal flight on Jan. 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights by providing military airlift. (Dept. of Defense photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La Pena)(Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La | Department of Defense (DVIDS)) White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared photos on X of military flights being used for deportations.
“Deportation flights have begun. President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences,” she said.
Immigration attorney Darius Almiri said this is not a new thing.
“Deportations have happened as far back as I’ve been practicing law. It happened when Obama was president, President Biden, and they’ll happen under Trump,” Almiri said.
Although, he said he’s never seen military planes used before.
“Under previous administrations what happens is ICE transports the deportees back to their country of origin through commercial flights,” Almiri said. “I think the use of military Air Force jets, that’s something different. That might be again, marketing.”
ICE’s daily arrests spiked dramatically Sunday to 956 and Monday to 1,179. If sustained, those numbers would mark the highest daily average since ICE began keeping records, according to the Associated Press.