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The Department of Homeland Security is moving forward with a multimillion-dollar contract to acquire multiple aircraft for deportation operations.

Getting into it: DHS made the announcement after finalizing a $140 million contract with Daedalus Aviation Corporation, a Virginia-based company established in February 2024. The agreement involves the purchase of six Boeing 737 aircraft, which will be used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation operations. This acquisition marks a significant departure from DHS’s long-standing reliance on chartered flights for removal and transfer operations.

According to DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, the move is intended to reduce long-term costs and increase operational efficiency. “This new initiative will save $279 million in taxpayer dollars by allowing ICE to operate more effectively, including by using more efficient flight patterns,” McLaughlin stated on social media. She added, “President Trump and Secretary Noem are committed to quickly and efficiently getting criminal illegal aliens OUT of our country.”

The funding for the aircraft comes from the $170 billion immigration enforcement budget that was approved as part of the GOP-led tax and budget legislation signed into law by President Trump earlier this year. This cash infusion has enabled DHS to expand its capabilities across detention, removal, and enforcement operations. ICE officials, speaking anonymously to multiple outlets, confirmed that this deal is part of a broader plan to create a more scalable deportation infrastructure.

The shift toward a dedicated fleet comes amid a sharp increase in removal activity. From January 20 to October 31, DHS conducted over 1,700 deportation flights. This represents a 79% increase over the same period in 2024 under the Biden administration.