A U.S. military plane is deporting migrants to India, according to a U.S. official, marking the furthest destination yet for the Trump administration’s military transport flights, reports Reuters.
President Donald Trump has increasingly relied on the military to enforce his immigration policies, which include sending troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, using military aircraft for deportations, and housing migrants on military bases.
The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the C-17 aircraft had departed for India with migrants aboard but would not arrive for at least 24 hours.
The Pentagon has also started providing flights to deport more than 5,000 immigrants held by U.S. authorities in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California.
So far, military aircraft have flown migrants to Guatemala, Peru and Honduras.
The military flights are a costly way to transport migrants. Reuters reported that a military deportation flight to Guatemala last week likely cost at least $4,675 per migrant.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
