J.D. Vance’s Campaign Plane: From Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric to Transporting Shackled Deportees

J.D. Vance, following his selection as Donald Trump’s running mate, has traveled extensively across the United States promoting a hardline stance on immigration. He has pledged to initiate mass deportations if elected, echoing Trump’s sentiments.

The Boeing 737 he has used for campaigning has now transitioned to a new role—facilitating deportations. Recent records reveal it has completed at least 16 flights to Central and South America in 2023, transporting immigrants back to their home countries.

According to an analysis from Arizona Mirror, supported by data obtained via the Freedom of Information Act, the 22-year-old aircraft has been incorporated into the “ICE Air” fleet. This network consists of various charter airlines contracted to facilitate the movement of immigrant detainees.

Before it donned the Trump campaign logo in July 2024, the aircraft had already participated in multiple ICE missions, transporting detainees on at least four occasions in 2018.

The data confirms that during the spring of 2018, the aircraft conducted three removal flights to El Salvador and Guatemala, carrying hundreds of deportees. In total, between 456 and 504 individuals were moved during that period.

Additionally, records from 2020 indicate 35 flights departing from ICE hubs to Central and South American nations. For instance, one noted flight took off from Alexandria Airport in Louisiana, landing later in Ecuador.

This year, military planes also utilized the same airport for deportation flights. However, detailed flight information post-2018 is increasingly challenging to confirm due to ongoing redaction of aircraft identifiers by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.

Phil Neff, a researcher from the University of Washington’s Center for Human Rights, noted their struggles with obtaining records from the Department of Homeland Security, often requiring legal action to access information.

Just five months after Vance and Trump assumed power, the aircraft was involved in multiple deportation flights from ICE hubs, eventually halted at Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona.

The aircraft, registered as N917XA, has a storied past. Initially part of Air Berlin, it transitioned to several airlines before Swift Air began contracting with ICE. This aircraft has consistently been associated with deportations, operating from significant ICE hubs.

Following its rebranding as iAero Airways, the company became embroiled in financial issues and ultimately changed hands, with Eastern Air Express acquiring its assets.

ICE Air operations are escalating in Arizona, with Avelo Airlines commencing deportation flights from Mesa Gateway. These contracts are financially lucrative, as evidenced by a recent $128 million no-bid contract awarded to CSI Aviation.

Neff expressed little surprise about the aircraft’s dual use but highlighted the irony of its transition from campaigning to deportation. He noted the contentious nature of these flights, raising significant human rights concerns among advocates.

Data reveal that many deportees still have ongoing legal cases. The Trump administration has defended its rapid deportation policies under historical laws, igniting further controversy.

Reports of mistreatment during ICE flights date back to 2016, with accounts of passengers being shackled and blocked from proper medical care. Such allegations raise critical ethical questions about the treatment of detainees.

Amid increasing operational challenges, activists like Tom Cartwright have committed to monitoring these flights. While data access is declining, efforts continue to ensure oversight and to call attention to the human impacts of deportation.

As deportation flights increase, Cartwright maintains that visibility is essential. He emphasized the importance of empathy for those being deported, recognizing their significant ties and the daunting challenges they face upon return.