US deportation flights hit record highs as carriers try to hide the planes, advocates say

[cbabe]

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/us-deportation-flights-hit-record-highs-as-21017550.php

US deportation flights hit record highs as carriers try to hide the planes, advocates say

By MARTHA BELLISLE,
Associated Press
Updated Aug 27, 2025 7:27 a.m.

…

Tom Cartwright, a retired J.P. Morgan financial officer turned immigration advocate, tracked 1,214 deportation-related flights in July — the highest level since he started watching in January 2020. About 80% are operated by three airlines: GlobalX, Eastern Air Express and Avelo Airlines. They carry immigrants to other airports to be transferred to overseas flights or take them across the border, mostly to Central American countries and Mexico.
Cartwright tracked 5,962 flights from the start of Trump's second term through July, a 41% increase from 1,721 over the same period in 2024.

…

Planes with blocked tail numbers no longer appear on websites like FlightRadar24 or FlightAware. The tracker page identifies these them as “N/A - Not Available" as they move across the map and when they are on the tarmac. Destinations and arrival times aren't listed.

Carriers have occasionally used LADD for things like presidential campaigns, but in March, FlightRadar24 received LADD notices for more than a dozen aircraft, Petchenik said. It was unusual to see that many aircraft across multiple airlines added to the blocking list, he said. The blocked planes were often used for ICE deportations and transfers, he said.

Of the 94 ICE Air contractor planes that La Resistencia was tracking nationwide, 40 have been unlisted, Gonzalez said.
Similar things happened with the call signs airlines use to identify flights in the air, Gonzalez said.

… more …