US likely spent over $1 million to deport 104 Indian migrants on military's C-17 flight

The recent deportation of 104 illegal Indian immigrants by the United States likely cost the country around $1 million for the flight used in the process, new agency AFP reported. Data suggests that military flights can be over three times more expensive than civilian flights. The Donald Trump administration has started using military aircraft for deportations, signalling its commitment to removing undocumented migrants.

Donald Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to execute the largest deportation operation in US history, has primarily focused on migrants from Latin America, but some are also being sent back to distant countries. On Wednesday, a US Air Force cargo plane landed in Amritsar, India, carrying 104 Indian nationals who had entered the US illegally. This flight is believed to be the first instance of a military aircraft being used for deportation to India.