politics
House Democrats Raise Concerns Over ICE Deportation Flights
A group of 40 House Democrats sent a letter expressing grave concerns about the Trump administration's secretive program of deportation flights. The letter follows reporting on irregular methods of transporting detainees and demands the Federal Aviation Administration address allegations of mistreatment.
May 12, 7:54 AM·1m read1 source
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The lawmakers demanded that the Federal Aviation Administration address allegations of mistreatment and inhumane conditions on ICE charter jets. The letter follows a report into irregular ways the administration was transporting detainees. The number of ICE flights during 2025 has surged by 84 percent compared with 2024 according to monitoring by human rights groups.
The increase in flights reflects a broader expansion of deportation activity under the current administration. Human rights organizations have tracked the volume of flights as one measure of enforcement scale. It specifically calls for the Federal Aviation Administration to examine reported issues involving detainee treatment during transport.
The program has drawn attention for its use of non-standard flight practices. Officials have not publicly detailed the operational changes implemented since the start of 2025.
