7/6/20
By Tom Cartwright
DEATH FLIGHTS - WEEK OF 29 JUNE
GUATEMALA RELENTS - REGULAR FLIGHTS REINSTATED AFTER BLOOD MONEY PROMISE
MEXICO FLIGHTS CONTINUE AT ELEVATED LEVELS
READ BELOW, IN THEIR OWN WORDS, WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE A DETAINEE/DEPORTEE
WEEKLY SUMMARY : 81 Flights. Down 20 from the extreme 101 last week and just a bit below the prior 8-week average of 87. Deportations of 15 however, was equal to the last 8-week average.
20 less than last week, attributable primarily to deportation related flights including returns and deportation direct connections. Shuffle flights continue to be relatively consistent week to week.
15 Deportations – down 6 from last week and to 4 different countries different countries. If patterns hold, I’m expecting more countries involved next week.
- Mexico (6), same last week and to 3 different locations – see below.
- Honduras (4), down 1 from last week.
- Guatemala (3), up one last week.
- El Salvador (2), same as last week.
- Last week there was also 1 flight each to Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad, Columbia, Ecuador, and Nicaragua.
- 10 Deportation US Connections, down 3 from last week.
- 13 Deportation Returns, down 9 from last week
- 43 Shuffle flights in the US, down 2 from as last week.
Ø Noteworthy this week:
Ø Guatemala: Following the pause and limitations on deportation flights, based on statements from Department of State Assistant Secretary Kozak, “Guatemala has agreed to resume receiving regular {deportation} flights” as ICE and Guatemala worked to improve testing protocols and communications. Just what “regular” means remains to be seen but we witnessed 3 flights the past week (Wed, Thurs, Fri) which is 1 more than a normal week when they are usually days apart. We don’t anticipate the pace will reach January/February levels, but we will be witnessing an increase. Flights in Jan, Feb and March were 38, 45, 33, respectively. In May there were only 7 flights. June finals will 7 or 8. And the increase is not just in flights but the number of deportees is up. They were capped at 50 plane and this week 213 deportees were in the 3 flights.
Ø -Why would Guatemala accept more flights when even the US government acknowledges that at least 7 countries have been victims of our return of at least 220 deportees with COVID? Perhaps because of the promise of aid that was made the week before to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, with the explicit US rationale of furthering the President’s goal of decreasing illegal immigration to the United States.
Ø Mexico: Deportation flights to Mexico remained at 6 per week after increasing from 4 to that level last week and the flights continue to be spread around in Mexico to Mexico City, Guadalajara and Villahermosa. From the middle of March to the end of May over 43,000 people have been expelled under the CDC order and Department of State Assistant Secretary Kozak said that 58 percent of encounters (which include other apprehensions) were single Mexican adults.
Ø In Their Own Words: Palabra published a very good piece by Jenny Manrique about the exportation of COVID, with power through the voices of detainees/deportees. We were proud to have been able to furnish some ICE Air information.
Ø Total detainees dropped 624 this week to 22,805. Reductions continue at a similar pace as a result not of releases but rather because of deportations and the border shut down and expulsions under the CDC order with no due process. Since March 16, over 43,000 people have been expelled at the border with almost 20,000 in May alone. Worse yet, over 2,000 unaccompanied children have been expelled and only 39 placed with ORR in May. WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN??
Ø 2,742 detainees have tested positive for COVID, up 339, or 14%, this week. 10,518 have been tested, up 1,655 this week, so 26% positive rate. This week’s 1,655 tests followed weeks of 1,494, 2,258 and 1,950.
-There are 752 detainees in isolation of under monitoring, about the same as last week.
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.