Donald Trump aims for one million deportations as DHS acquires aircraft fleet

Record immigration enforcement planned as DHS shifts to its own deportation planes

December 11, 2025

Donald Trump targets one million deportations in first year

DHS signs $140 million deal for deportation aircraft

The Donald Trump administration is preparing to dramatically scale up its immigration enforcement efforts in 2026, with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) signing a nearly $140 million contract to purchase at least six Boeing 737 aircraft dedicated to deportation flights, the Washington Post has reported.

The move marks one of the largest expansions of federal deportation infrastructure in recent years and follows a sweeping funding injection approved by Congress. DHS officials said the planes will allow US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to operate its own fleet instead of depending on chartered aircraft, a shift expected to lower long-term operational costs.

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the acquisition, saying the new aircraft will “save money by allowing ICE to operate more effectively, including by using more efficient flight patterns.” She claimed the initiative is projected to save $279 million in taxpayer funds, though she did not provide further details. McLaughlin said both President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem are “committed to quickly and efficiently getting criminal illegal aliens out of our country.”

Massive funding powers expanded deportation push

Earlier this year, Congress approved an unprecedented $170 billion for the Trump administration’s border and immigration agenda over four years, bundled into the Republican Party’s tax bill. The injection has given DHS broad latitude to scale up enforcement, including record-level deportations.

Officials say the administration aims to deport at least one million people by the end of its first year back in office. According to border czar Tom Homan, more than 579,000 people have already been removed. DHS data shows nearly 66,000 migrants currently detained nationwide.

The Pentagon has also diverted at least $2 billion from defence projects this year to support the administration’s immigration crackdown. A report from Democratic lawmakers said the reallocation forced delays or cancellations of military programmes, including a pilot training facility, repairs to schools serving military families, and improvements to barracks — areas Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously labelled priorities.

Aircraft purchase triggers accountability questions

The dedicated deportation fleet has raised new questions in Washington about what DHS intends to do with the jets beyond 2026 and what long-term costs taxpayers may shoulder.

ICE Air Operations has traditionally relied on private charter companies to conduct deportation flights, allowing administrations flexibility to scale up or down. The shift to owning aircraft could lock DHS into a more permanent infrastructure model.

From January 20 — when Trump returned to the White House — through October 31, the US has conducted 1,701 deportation flights to 77 countries, according to monthly monitoring data from Human Rights First. ICE Air Operations executed “the vast majority” of these missions, underscoring the central role of aviation in Trump’s immigration strategy.