Posts
5/25/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 25 May 2020
HATE DOES NOT TAKE A HOLIDAY – While the people of the US were thinking about and honoring those who sacrificed their security and lives for our peace and freedom, this Memorial Day, ICE Air was busy taking away the freedom from people coming here for protection and to take part and earn a piece of the American dream. The same America dream that those we honor today fought and gave their lives for to protect for eternity.
TODAY:
16 flights – 3 Deportations – Honduras (2), Bogata). 4 US Deportation Connections. 3 Deportation returns. 6 Shuffle flights in US.
5/22/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 22 May 2020
PANDEMIC DEEPENS AROUND THE WORLD AND ICE AIR ACCELERATES EXPORTATION OF COVID THIS WEEK
TODAY
23 flights – 7 Deportations – Mexico (2), Honduras (2), Guatemala (2), El Salvador (1), Honduras (2). 6 US Deportation Connections. 6 Deportation returns. 4 Shuffle flights in US.
5/21/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 21 May 2020
9 flights today – All shuffle flights within the US. It is striking to me that, with NO deportation flights today, there were still 9 flights shuffling deportees around.
Ø Today was a pause from the extremely busy week to date. Perhaps it was because today Swift Air used 3 of their deportation planes and crews for a different and private purpose today. They shuttled cruise ship crew from San Diego to Barbados to their homes. They had been stranded in their cruise ships. It was an odd flight pattern for ICE Air so we did some quick research to determine why 3 typically ICE Air planes would go to Barbados. We learn more every day.
5/20/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 20 May 2020
16 flights today – 3 Deportations - 2 Honduras, 1 Nicaragua. 2 Deportation connections. 3 deportation returns. AND 8 shuffle flights).
Ø Yesterday we reported on 2 deportation flights to Mexico City. The first we have seen. Deportation flights to Mexico stopped with the CDC Order March 21. And before, they went to Guadalajara under the Mexico Repatriation Agreement. Since that time, and even then, most deportations to Mexico were by land, not air. We suspected that they might be resuming deportation flights to the interior to relieve the pressure of expulsions on the border. It appears from answers by CBP to inquiries and Mexico AP story that this is true.
5/18/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 18 May 2020
ICE Air continued to seed and spread COVID outside and inside the US this week through
15 Flights today. 4 Sat and 1 Sun. Today 6 planes in the air
3 Deportations – 2 Honduras and 1 Guatemala. 3 Deportation connections. 3 Deportation Returns and 11 flights shuffling around the US.
5/15/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 15 May 2020 (please share for transparency)
15 Flights today - 3 Deportations - Honduraa, El Salvador, Brazil and 6 shuffling around the US
ICE Air continued to seed and spread COVID outside and inside the US this week through
- 68 Total flights
- 11 Deportation flights
- 13 Direct deportation connections
- 10 Deportation return flights
- 34 Churn flights between detention centers in the US
Ø Today Guatemala pushed back again of a flight. Their foreign ministry said that there were 3 deportees on Wednesday’s flight that had COVID despite the US’s testing program of all deportees to Guatemala. The flight scheduled for today has been postponed and it has been reported that Guatemala is working with the CDC on what new measured need to be taken.
Ø As of today, 986 detainees have tested positive for COVID, up 21 from yesterday. 2,045 have now been tested, up from 250 yesterday. A staggering 48% of those tested have been positive.
-ICE reports that 44 of their detention center staff have tested positive, but to date they HAVE NOT reported their contractor workers. Today they told the House Oversight Committee that at least 82 CoreCivic and GEO Group staff have tested positive. 90 are in quarantine. Combined, that’s at least 124 staff with COVID. What we don’t know is how many have been tested.
5/12/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 12 May 2020
21 Flights today –1 deportation flight
TODAY WAS A DEADLY SHELL GAME DAY – 18 SHUFFLE FLIGHTS IN THE US
- Along with the 1 deportation there was 1 leg in the US that connected to the last deportation leg. And still, 18 flights in shuffling people around the US as the COVID shell game continues.
Ø This post is about the deportation flights but let us not forget about the 20,000 people that have been expelled since March 22 at the border with no chance to exert their legal right to seek asylum or protection as a result of the CDC Order. Expelled to Mexico and that includes unaccompanied minors. Inhumane. Children sent to a country that may not be theirs, alone.
5/11/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 11 May 2020
20 Flights today – 4 deportation flights – Honduras (2), Guatemala, Haiti.
- Along with the 4 deportations there were 6 legs in the US that connected to the last deportation leg. And still, 6 flights in shuffling people around the US as the COVID shell game continues.
Ø Today The flight to Guatemala that was expected based on Friday that was cancelled was completed. We still do not know why it was cancelled Friday but perhaps they did not have enough people tested for COVID that were negative prepared. Guatemala is the only country that will not accept deportees without medical papers indicating they were just tested and did not have COVID. Somehow, they are apparently withstanding the administrations pressure. Today Michelle Hackman of the WSJ reported on White House threats to withhold visas to countries not accepting deportees in the midst of the pandemic. https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-threatens-to-deny-visas-to-countries-refusing-deported-citizens-11586577586?reflink=share_mobilewebshare
Ø Today there was also deportation flight to Haiti, the poorest country in our hemisphere and one that has scant medical resources to treat COVID patients. 11 million people, densely populated, dependent on an estimated 20 working (80 total) ventilators and 125 ICU beds. Advocates have pleaded to stop these flights. Ignored.
5/8/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 8 May 2020
Ø 11 Flights with 2 deportations – Honduras and El Salvador. And 9 shuffling.
Ø 72 Flights for the week:
- 13 Deportations – Honduras (5), Guatemala (2), El Salvador (2,) Dominican, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru
- 10 that connected to deportation flights
- 13 Return from deportations
- 36 Shuffle in the US flights
5/7/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 7 May 2020 (please share for transparency)
10 FLIGHTS - 1 deportation. Honduras and maybe Peru?
Photo: courtesy of the El Paso Anti-Deportation Squad
Ø Today was a slower day; 1 deportation flight and more shuffling.
Ø We fear that detainees in El Paso (where there is a recent outbreak of COVID-19) and a successful lawsuit; were boarded onto a plane today and flown to Alexandria, Louisiana. Shuffling instead of releasing.
Ø 753 detainees have been positive for COVID, up 48 today. Those tested increased by 68 to 1,528. Of those tested almost half have been positive.
5/6/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 6 May 2020
11 FLIGHTS - 2 deportations. Honduras and Guatemala
Ø Today was a slower day yet 2 deportation flights and more shuffling.
Ø Today our friends in El Paso, Debbie Nathan and the El Paso Anti-Deportation Squad witnessed a flight from El Paso to Honduras. They saw about 23 deportees, men and women. We thank them for their witness and continuing to show ICE people are watching. It is their photo in today’s post. A woman.
Ø Today, Carlos Ernesto Escobar, a 57-year old man from El Salvador, who was being held at OTAY detention center died from COVID. He tested positive on April 24.
5/4/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 4 May 2020
22 FLIGHTS - 5 DEPORTATION FLIGHTS
Ø Today was a breathtakingly busy day. We can only imagine how much COVID was seeded and spread by ICE Air today given the number of flights and geographies covered. To put today into perspective, today there were 5 deportation flights and all of last week there were 6. Today there were 22 flights, last week there were 59 for the full week. The next few days will be interesting.
Ø 7 ICE Air planes were in the air today and there were 5 deportation flights, the most in one day in about month. Deportations to Honduras (2), Ecuador, and Columbia, and Guatemala.
4/28/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 28 APRIL 2020 (please share for transparency)
20 FLIGHTS
Ø Today we saw an amazing amount of churning of flights within the US and presumably detainees. Since ICE does not disclose the number of prisoners on their flights we are left to our educated guesses. When we see 3 and 4 legs of flights by the same plane there really is no explanation other than they are moving people around.
- Today we saw 1 plane fly 5 legs, and 3 planes fly 4 legs all within the US.
- Even the deportation flight to El Salvador made 2 legs in the US.
4/27/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 24 APRIL 2020 (please share for transparency)
ICE Air is starting to get a lot more Media and Congressional attention now. We have had a number of inquiries. Keep sharing!
12 FLIGHTS 25 Ap – 27 April
ICE Air rarely flies on the weekend, but sometimes there are plane repositioning, returns and occasionally detainee flights. That was the case Saturday – Monday this week. Monday was actually a light day for flights. Because ICE discloses nothing about these flights, we are left to our own hypotheses. Perhaps Friday was such a large day they took a day of rest. Perhaps they are facing some pressure to suspend flights until they start testing. Or, maybe they are just positioning for a big day to come. We will witness.
4/24/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 24 APRIL 2020
23 – Let that sink in 23 FLIGHTS TODAY
Ø ICE Air was incredibly mobile today. It makes us gasp at the thought of how much COVID was seeded and spread today alone. And it makes us wonder if ICE wanted to get as many deportations done before testing protocols are put in place (see last item below), or others suspend flights.
4/23/20
DEATH FLIGHTS – 23 APRIL 2020
14 FLIGHTS TODAY
Ø Today, in the midst of the greatest pandemic of our lifetimes, we sent 129 people, including 49 children, back to Haiti, the poorest country in this hemisphere and possibly one that is the most ill prepared to care for people with COVID. It is estimated Haiti only has 60 ventilators of which 20 may work for a population of 11 million people and only 124 ICU beds. Not long ago we sent 3 people back with COVID that represented 8% of Haiti’s cases at the time.
Ø Just this week, 164 humanitarian groups signed a letter pleading to stop deportations to Haiti because of the significant health risk. ICE was deaf to these pleas and continued to deport hate.