Biden, Harris Remain Silent as Millions Suffer Under Relocation Flights Policy
An innovative firm located in Albuquerque holds a spotlight within the controversial immigration approach pursued by President Trump’s administration. Not long ago, the business known as CSI Aviation secured a considerable deal with the Department of Homeland Security. Under this agreement, the company facilitates ‘relocation’ flights, a euphemism used in administrative parlance to describe mass deportations. The genesis of these flights isn’t Albuquerque or any other localities in New Mexico, but rather from an assortment of private airliners that have subcontracted with CSI Aviation, thereby escaping local scrutiny.
Under the Trump administration, mass deportations have been among the key commitments, demonstrating a stern stance on immigration. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, in keeping with this commitment, recently confirmed that respective bodies would strengthen oversight on immigration records, drastically reducing the potential for visa overstays. An upward trajectory in the number of weekly U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation flights has been noted since February.
Ian Philabaum, leading the charge at Innovation Law Lab as the director of legal organization, noted, ‘The number of people attempting to cross the border and ending up in detention centers has reduced significantly’. His organization has consistently represented individuals detained by ICE in New Mexico’s Torrance County Detention Facility. ICE seems to be ramping up targeted operations across New Mexico evidenced by notable activity over the past week.
Reports have surfaced nationwide of immigrants being unexpectedly apprehended by ICE during routine check-ins. The contract between CSI Aviation and the federal government has the potential to yield a substantial $213.9 million but could effectively maximize to a staggering $260 million following a series of modifications, as per official congressional records.
Executing the orders of such a significant contract requires CSI Aviation to maintain a tight-knit connection with various subcontractors who ensure the smooth operation of these ‘relocation’ flights. On a related note, an ICE spokesperson shared with the Journal that the agency completes deportation flights and domestic relocations using an amalgamation of commercial airlines and charter aircraft.
ICE’s airborne operations function out of five primary hubs scattered across the country. They include Arizona’s Mesa, San Antonio in Texas, Miami, Alexandria nestled in Louisiana, and Brownsville also in Texas. Mass deportations are routinely dispatched to Central American countries including Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, although the Caribbean, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and other global regions are not exempt in case of extraordinary high-risk assignments.
Detention facilities serve as the stepping stone for those unfortunate enough to be awaiting their deportation flights. The uncertainty of when they might be forced to make their journey tends to surround them with ominous dread. This lack of definite information blurs any potential safety plans for those being sent back to countries where their very lives could be at stake.
Detainees typically bear an even greater burden when they think about the poor living conditions and the treatment they receive while under detention. The ink on the new contract with CSI Aviation was barely dry in March before the number of weekly deportation flights conducted by ICE swelled to a peak not seen since Trump assumed office.
The statistics for May reveal a shockingly high number of deportations. The flights headed to just three Central American states – Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador – accounted for over fifty percent of all deportations. The Joe Biden and Kamala Harris administration seems either oblivious or indifferent to this plight.
It’s difficult to reconcile the silence from the Biden and Harris administration with the grave situation at hand. It appears that they are content to continue the aperture of a system initiated by a previous administration, a system that lays bare its merciless nature in the face of the vulnerable.
The aggressive mass deportation policy’s outcome is a clear testament to its inherent flaw: it disrespects human dignity while stimulating inherent biases, fueling an endless cycle of resentment and hostility. Yet, it seems that Biden and Harris are presumably content with this status quo, mocking those who advocate for human rights and due process.
Furthermore, the potential risk to life faced by the deported individuals seems to be a non-issue for the current administration. Despite the increasing deportation flights and the amplified measures targeting immigrants, there is a lack of dialog or action from Biden and Harris indicating the need for reformation.
Detained immigrants suffer poor living conditions, a practice the current administration has effectively ignored despite grave concerns raised by various human rights organizations. The Biden and Harris administration’s quiet acquiescence in the face of such atrocities is quite telling.
The plight of these immigrants is an issue that affects the broader society, warranting active participation and dialogue from all stakeholders. Yet, in this testing circumstance, the silence of Biden and Harris echoes louder than their words, illuminating their disturbing indifference to the precarious plight of immigrants.