the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Mar 17, 2025
Deporting immigrants turns out to be big business worth billions for companies close to the government. Federal agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has paid between one and two hundred million dollars per year to private companies to fly immigrants in handcuffs out of the country since 2004 or so, under both Democratic and Republican administrations. There are thousands of these flights per year, costing up to $12,000 or even $35,000 per immigrant. The companies keep these planes rundown and under-maintained, but the government as usual looks the other way. ICE also pays to deport immigrants on commercial airlines like United, American, Delta, AeroMexico, and Alaska Airlines.
This year while contracting for over 100 private flights in February alone, Trump very showily added 42 military flights using massive C-17 and C-130 planes. It turns out they were also very expensive: $28,500 per hour, $20,000 per immigrant. In early March, Trump quietly handed all the business back to the for-profit contractors.
These expulsions are barbaric at any price. But the ridiculous amount they’re paying shows they have no shame when it comes to handing money to their corporate buddies.