The Department of Homeland Security is exploring the purchase of a luxury jet for deportation missions and Cabinet travel, according to a report.
The aircraft — a Boeing 737 Max 8 — will be used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation flights and by senior officials, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, for official travel, NBC News said.
$70 million request to White House Budget Office
ICE has asked the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a $70 million purchase of the aircraft, the news outlet reported, citing two DHS officials involved in the request.
According to the outlet, ICE told OMB the jet would serve dual purposes: transporting deportees and facilitating travel for Cabinet-level officials.
Luxury features onboard
The jet reportedly includes high-end amenities such as showers, a kitchen, a bar and a bedroom with a queen-sized bed, along with four large flat-screen televisions.
The plane can accommodate up to 18 passengers and has sleeping space for as many as 14 people, NBC News reported.
DHS defends cost savings
In a statement to NBC News, a DHS spokesperson said the aircraft “will serve dual missions — both as ICE deportation flights and for cabinet-level travel.”
“This plane flies at 40% cheaper than what the military aircraft flies for ICE deportation flights — saving the American taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars,” the spokesperson said.
The purchase, the spokesperson added, is “part of Secretary Noem’s broader efforts to clamp down on inefficiencies and save taxpayer dollars.”
The official also noted that “at least one of the bedrooms is currently being converted for seating to prepare the aircraft to meet the demands of its deportation mission set.”
Deportation flight logistics
According to the outlet, deportation flights typically carry between 50 and 100 detainees, along with medical staff and security officers.
