U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and several colleagues have called for greater transparency from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Air Operations (IAO). In a letter sent to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, the senators raised concerns about what they described as “near-total secrecy” surrounding IAO’s activities, particularly in light of recent reports alleging violations of detainees’ rights and inhumane treatment during deportation flights.
“We write to express our concerns regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Air Operations’ (IAO) severe lack of transparency. IAO has been at the center of troubling actions ICE has taken under this administration but provides no public data on its operations,” the senators began.
The letter referenced several specific cases, including the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was moved through multiple states before being sent to El Salvador’s CECOT prison despite legal interventions. The senators also cited incidents involving university student Rumeysa Ozturk and unaccompanied minors allegedly deported without due process. “These cases paint a troubling picture of IAO attempting to shortcut due process rights and avoid or defy judicial authority,” they wrote.
According to the lawmakers, ICE does not make public any information about its flight operations, destinations, costs, or passengers. They noted that data compiled by Human Rights First’s ICE Flight Monitor project indicates a 34 percent increase in IAO immigration enforcement flights between January 20 and August 2025 compared to the previous year. The report found that May through August saw record-high numbers of flights.
“Additionally, the conditions on board IAO flights have been described as ‘dehumanizing’ and even ‘dangerous,’” the lawmakers added. “A recent lawsuit alleges that ICE put several detainees on a military cargo plane wearing straitjackets for 16 hours and did not tell them where they were going. […] Detainees have reportedly made hundreds of allegations of verbal, physical, and even sexual abuse by IAO personnel since 2010. In addition, numerous public accounts report medical emergencies and systemic limitations on access to critical care on board deportation flights. These reported conditions raise serious human rights concerns.”
The senators highlighted that ICE has increased its use of both chartered commercial planes—such as those operated by CSI Aviation—and U.S. military aircraft for deportations. Military flights are less transparent than commercial ones because they can fly routes unavailable to civilian planes and provide less public information for security reasons. According to monitoring data, at least 85 deportation flights have used military planes since January 2025.
In their letter, lawmakers also questioned whether all policies outlined in the ICE Air Operations Handbook are followed during these operations—especially concerning restraints such as handcuffs or devices like “the WRAP,” which immobilizes detainees entirely—and asked about oversight mechanisms related to allegations of abuse or medical emergencies during transit.
The Trump Administration’s budgetary support for expanded enforcement was noted; $75 billion is allocated over four years through legislation known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with nearly $11 billion requested for ICE discretionary appropriations in fiscal year 2026.
Joining Senators Hirono, Van Hollen (D-MD), and Warren (D-MA) on the letter were Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
The group requested detailed information from DHS about operational costs since January 2025; procedures for handling detainees—including use-of-force guidelines; details on fleet size; contracting processes; flight destinations; and voluntary return programs.
