7/19/20
By Tom Cartwright
DEATH FLIGHTS - WEEK OF 13 July – please share for transparency
THIS WEEK WE ASK WHY? WHY DO ALL THESE FLIGHTS CONTINUE?
The consistency amazes us. this week there were exactly the same numbers of total ICE Air flights and deportations as last week. The ICE Air machine must be fed every week, so it seems.
- WHY??
- We witness the regular weekly routes flown consistently each week and the number of shuffle flights around the US are relatively consistent.
- We witness relatively consistent weekly deportation patterns emerging with Mexico (6-7), Guatemala (2-3), Honduras (4-5), El Salvador (2), Nicaragua, Ecuador and Dominican about every other week, and other countries sporadically every few weeks.
- YET - The detainee population is down over 35% from the beginning of April, from 35,000 to 22,000 as a result of the denial of anyone to seek asylum under the cover of COVID and the continuation of deportations.
- FOLLOW THE MONEY. THE AIR CHARTERS. THE GUARDS. THE ICE BUREAUCRACY. THE AIRPORTS AND CONTRACTORS. ON AND ON…..AND THE HATE.
- THE BEAST MUST BE FED AND THE SUSTENANCE IS FREQUENCY, NOT CAPACITY. SO IT CONTINUES AS IT HAS FOR MANY DECADES. THIS IS NOT NEW.
91 Flights. Same as last week and a bit above the last 8-week average of 88. Deportations of 18 however, were 20% above the last 8-week average of 15.
WEEKLY SUMMARY
- 91 Flights, same as last week. Shuffle flights continue to be relatively consistent week to week in a very predictable range of 40-45, seemingly regardless of the variation in deportation flights.
18 Deportations — same as last week and to 6 different countries (Peru under review).
- Mexico (7), up 1 from last week (see more below). The majority of crossings now are of single Mexicans.
- Honduras (4), same as last week, and extremely consistent with the last 2 months. This week a particularly horrendous deportation (most likely by land) was reported of a Honduran mother deported 36 hours after giving birth in the US after crossing to ask for asylum.
- Guatemala (3), up 1 from last week (see more below).
- El Salvador (2), same as last week, and same as 5 of the last 6 weeks.
- Brazil and Peru each accepted 1 flight. (Peru under review). Brazil despite the COVID disaster that continues there.
- 11 Deportation US Connections, down 5 from last week.
- 17 Deportation Returns, same as last week
- 45 Shuffle flights in the US, up 5 from last week.
Ø Noteworthy this week:
- Mexico flights increased again, this time to 7 and a 4th location was added, Morelia, to Mexico City, Villahermosa, and Guadalajara. We will witness to see if volume and location were anomalies.
- Guatemala with 3 flights this week staying in the 2-3 per week range post the resumption of flights, which is still significantly below the pre-COVID levels of around 10 flights per week.
Ø The Detainee population dropped 230 this week, similar to last week and the second week at a relatively small decrease. The prior weekly run rate for the prior 2 months was a drop of about 650 per week, the month before that about 1,500 per week.
Ø Almost 70,000 asylum seekers have been turned back under this illegal order since mid- March. 27,000 alone in June out of 30,400 encounters and up from 20,000 in May.
- Although CBP discloses the overall numbers they DO NOT release how many of these were unaccompanied children. A few weeks past they did respond to a Congressional inquiry with 2,000 children. Yesterday I contacted CBP media relations to ask what the number is now based on the June 70,000. CBP’s response was:
“If you would like a breakdown within title 42 of a particular demographic that is unavailable on our website, you will need to file a FOIA request.”
Perhaps the 70 Members of Congress that signed the letter questioning Azar and Redfield about the legality of expelling unaccompanied children in light of trafficking laws might result in a response.
Ø 3,596 detainees have tested positive for COVID, up 506 or 16%, this week. 13,562 have been tested, up 1,734 this week, so 27% positive rate. This week’s 1,734 tests followed weeks of 1,315 and 1,655.
- There are 967 detainees in isolation under monitoring, up 130 from last week.
photo: Border Patrol Museum. Permission not requested.
Note: ICE Air does not disclose their flights. Flight listing gleaned from public flight information, knowledge of detention center locations, air charter services and historic patterns. In rare cases, there may be a flight we miss, or include in error.