Soaring ICE flights become increasingly elusive, with tracking efforts growing more challenging
In the realm of immigration enforcement, a growing concern has arisen regarding the lack of transparency surrounding the activities of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. In July 2025, Witness at the Border tracked a record-breaking number of deportation flights and domestic "shuffle flights" of ICE detainees within the US, with 207 deportation flights and 727 domestic flights recorded, the highest number since 2020 [1][2][5].
The tail numbers of these ICE flights have been removed from public flight-tracking websites, a practice that began around early 2025. This move is intended to make these deportation flights difficult for the public, journalists, and activists to track and monitor [1]. The tail numbers' absence severely limits the ability of watchdogs and family members to follow the movements of deported individuals and understand ICE’s operations [1].
This lack of transparency has significant implications for accountability and transparency. Without visible tail numbers, public scrutiny over ICE’s enforcement and deportation activities is reduced, making independent oversight harder [1]. It curtails the ability of immigration rights groups and the media to document and report on the scale and nature of deportation flights [1]. Families and communities lose a critical tool to trace loved ones and gather information about their whereabouts [1].
Advocates like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have highlighted that this lack of transparency restricts public knowledge on where and how ICE is conducting its operations [1][5]. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have not publicly addressed this practice. Airlines involved in direct inquiries have refused to comment independently, citing that these flights operate under government contract [1][5].
Interestingly, the air traffic call sign now being used by most of these ICE flights is "Tyson", the same call sign used by former President Trump for his personal plane after he was elected in 2016 [6]. The companies operating these flights are not just any airlines; they include the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based CSI Aviation, the largest private contractor for ICE Air operations [3], and among the top subcontractors for ICE flights in July were GlobalX, Eastern Air Express, and Avelo Airlines [4].
CSI Aviation, under the leadership of CEO Allen Weh, a GOP donor who has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to the party and its candidates [7], won an award of $128 million as the prime contractor for ICE flight operations in February 2025 [2]. The contract is now worth more than $321 million [2].
The increased volume and expansiveness of immigration flights under recent administrations have raised concerns among civil rights organizations about the potential for abuses or violations going unnoticed [8]. La Resistencia, a group tracking ICE flights on the US West Coast, has expressed concerns about transparency and potential human rights violations due to the lack of observation of how humans are being treated [8].
In light of these developments, it is crucial to maintain a vigilant eye on ICE's operations and advocate for transparency to ensure accountability and protect human rights.
