The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has begun the process of creating a government-owned aircraft fleet to support deportation operations, emergency response and senior official travel, marking the latest step in the Trump administration's effort to expand immigration enforcement infrastructure.
According to a government notice reviewed by Bloomberg, DHS is seeking information from aviation companies on operating and maintaining a fleet that would include two C-37B aircraft or equivalent Gulfstream G650ER jets and seven Boeing 737-700 aircraft or similar models.
The department said the fleet would be capable of operating around the clock on both domestic and international missions through a hub-and-spoke network. Contractors would provide pilots, co-pilots, flight attendants and, when required, flight nurses and security personnel. The exercise is part of market research before a formal contract competition begins.
The aircraft would be used for deportation and voluntary repatriation flights, transporting crisis-response teams, conducting medical evacuations and other high-risk missions, and carrying senior DHS officials on continuity-of-government and diplomatic travel.
The move follows the Trump administration securing tens of billions of dollars from Congress for deportation, detention and border security. Instead of relying entirely on chartered aircraft, DHS plans to own the fleet while outsourcing flight operations to a private contractor.
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According to the Bloomberg report, the initiative began under former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and also included the acquisition of a Boeing Business Jet configured with 17 passenger seats, a full kitchen and two bedrooms. It remains unclear whether that aircraft will be covered under the proposed operating contract.
The purchases drew criticism from Democratic lawmakers and government watchdogs, who questioned the need for a government-owned fleet that included a luxury-configured aircraft painted in a design resembling President Donald Trump's new Air Force One.
Currently, most Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation flights are carried out using privately owned charter aircraft. DHS officials have previously argued that owning aircraft would reduce dependence on charter providers and lower costs over the long term.
President Donald Trump has made deportations a central part of his immigration agenda. However, Bloomberg reported that more than 550,000 people were deported by ICE between January 2025 and April 2026, below the administration's target of one million deportations annually.
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Bloomberg News reported earlier that Virginia-based Daedalus Aviation Corp. assembled several Boeing 737 aircraft for ICE after acquiring planes previously operated by low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines. The Washington Post later reported that the US government spent about $140 million to acquire six Boeing jets.
Federal Aviation Administration records now show several former Avelo aircraft registered to DHS. Two Gulfstream G650 aircraft are also registered to the department, although Daedalus remains listed as the registration address.
The latest solicitation states that the operating contract could begin on July 28, 2027, and run through July 27, 2032. The notice does not disclose the estimated value of the contract.
