A group of 40 House Democrats has expressed “grave concerns” over the Trump administration’s secretive programme of deportation flights, demanding that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) address allegations of mistreatment and inhumane conditions on ICE charter jets.
In a letter addressed to FAA administrator Bryan Bedford, the lawmakers describe an “urgent need for transparency” over ICE’s expanded use of commercial airliners to transfer detained immigrants, and its “inappropriate and dangerous” efforts to shield these flights from public scrutiny. The letter cites credible reports that individuals have been placed on flights without notice to counsel or family members, effectively disappearing from public view when flights are shielded from tracking systems.
The letter references an investigation by the Guardian based on leaked flight data, which revealed routine violations of constitutional rights during immigrant transfers. The reporting also identified allegations of abuse at a private detention centre in Alexandria, Louisiana, a central hub in the deportation programme. According to human rights groups, the number of ICE flights surged by 84% in 2025 compared to 2024.
The lawmakers ask the FAA to provide a detailed report of all ICE air operations since President Trump took office, including flight origins, destinations, and passenger numbers. The letter notes that dozens of charter jets used for deportation flights were granted unusual permission by the FAA to block certain data, such as tail numbers, from public flight tracking sites, making monitoring harder.
Lead author Congressman Rob Menendez said: “This transparency is important for the American people to understand what is happening every single day because there are so many violations of due process and legal rights happening that if people knew about them they would find it deeply problematic.” The letter also calls for information on how the FAA assesses humanitarian conditions on ICE flights, including the use of full body restraints and their impact on emergency procedures.
