Feds Likely Spending Millions on Charter Jets to Transport Migrants to US Cities

Feds Likely Spending Millions on Charter Jets to Transport Migrants to US Cities

HOUSTON, Texas–Subsequent to entering the U.S., most of the illegal immigrants currently flooding the Texas-Mexico border are loaded onto planes and flown to various cities around the country. Breitbart Texas has learned that many of the planes being used to transport the foreigners are large charter passenger jets; the cost of each one-way, relatively short plane trip typically costs about $100,000. A longer flight can cost much more. The government has flown numerous such air crafts, filled with illegal immigrants, during recent months. 

Photos on ABC10, initially noticed by Peter Maxwell, show illegal immigrants unloading out of planes owned by Ameristar Jet Charters; the air crafts transported hundreds of unaccompanied minors and family units from McAllen, Texas to San Diego, California in early July. Other photos from ABC10 show more migrants being transported on charter planes owned by XTRA Airways. 

Breitbart Texas reached out to both companies for pricing information. A sales representative from Ameristar Jet said that the price of a one-way charter flight includes fuel, crew, and basic catering costs. Stacy Muth of Ameristar Jet told Breitbart Texas that the cost of a one-way commercial charter plane for 150 passengers typically costs about $100,000.  

Similarly, a salesman from XTRA Airways told Breitbart Texas that a one-way flight of the same passenger capacity into San Diego from South Texas would cost around $85,000. More than 100 illegal immigrants were transported were flown to San Diego on an XTRA plane in July, according to ABC10.

Although using taxpayer money, the federal government refuses to disclose how much is being shelled out for each plane used to carry the migrants; but assuming Department of Homeland Security paid the standard price for each one-way plane from South Texas to San Diego, hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars have been spent transporting the illegal immigrants to California alone. Flights to destinations further away likely have an even higher price tag. 

Phone calls from Breitbart Texas to the Department of Homeland Security, inquiring about the cost of each flight, were not immediately returned. 

At this point migrants have been or will likely be transported via taxpayer-subsidized aircraft from McAllen to numerous cities around the country including those in Texas, California, Arizona, Oklahoma, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Maryland. 

Many U.S. citizens have expressed outrage over the fact that illegal immigrants from Central America are not being turned away at the border–instead, they are being sent to facilities around the nation where they enjoy a slew of taxpayer-funded amenities such as housing, food, education, vocational training, recreation, and even legal counsel. After spending a relatively short amount of time in such a shelter, most of the illegal immigrants are then released onto U.S. soil, promising authorities that they will show up in court at a later date for an immigration hearing. 

But according to Victor Manjarrez–a professor at the University of Texas El Paso, former Chief Patrol Agent of Tucson Sector, and former Chief Patrol Agent in El Paso Sector–most of the migrants never appear for their court hearing. They eventually end up being forgotten about by authorities or get “lost in the woodwork.”

The steep costs associated with the border crisis are quickly draining federal resources. As Breitbart Texas previously reported, President Obama requested $3.7 billion to deal with the situation. Most of the proposed funds, however, would go to Health and Human Services (HHS)–the agency responsible for caring for the migrants and reuniting them with family members. Only $433 million would go to Customs and Border Protection, which is in charge of securing the border.

Follow Kristin Tate on Twitter @KristinBTate

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