WATCH: Kelly Spotlights Wasteful Spending on Trump’s Immigration Posturing During Armed Services Hearing

Yesterday, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Arizona Senator and Navy combat veteran Mark Kelly put a spotlight on the unnecessary, wasteful spending of the Trump administration using military aircraft to transport migrants, instead of using ICE flights as usual. Kelly questioned Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, Commander, United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command and Admiral Alvin Holsey, Commander, United States Southern Command, about the cost and effects on military readiness of NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM being tasked with supporting a border security and immigration enforcement mission. 

“While I agree that our immigration system is broken and that we have to do more to secure the southern border, I’m concerned about the effect of these missions on our military readiness,” said Kelly. “General Guillot, last week over 100 migrants were flown to India on a C-17 costing the American taxpayer approximately $2.5 million and using up the limited flight hours allocated to that aircraft. Using MILAIR costs around $28,000 per hour or so for a C-17, that’s four times as much if ICE would’ve chartered a flight.”  

He continued, “So, given the strain on strategic airlift assets, are you concerned that continued use of C-17s and C-130s—which are less expensive but still there are readiness issues with that—are you concerned that using these for deportation flights could impact availability for higher priority missions?” 

Kelly has previously criticized the cost of these operations, telling Politico last month: “A C-17 burns about 20,0000 pounds per hour of gas. A commercial airliner, like a 737, 5,000 pounds. So, you’re going to fly a plane that burns four times the amount of fuel that carries fewer people, you’re only doing that for one reason and that’s for the image, the image of using the military to deport individuals when, traditionally, we just do this with commercial flights that are chartered and it’s much, much less expensive.” 

Click here to download a video of Kelly’s remarks. See the transcript below:   

Sen. Kelly: So, both NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM have been tasked with supporting a border security immigration enforcement mission. While I agree that our immigration system is broken, and that we have to do more to secure the southern border, I’m concerned about the effect of these missions on our military readiness. So, General Guillot, last week, over a hundred migrants were flown to India on a C-17, costing the American taxpayer approximately two and a half million dollars and using up the limited flight hours allocated to that aircraft. Using MILAIR costs around twenty-eight thousand dollars an hour or so for a C-17. That’s four times as much if ICE would have chartered a flight. Given the strain on strategic airlift assets, are you concerned that continued use of C-17s and C-130s—and C-130s are less expensive but still, there are readiness issues with that—are you concerned that using these for deportation flights could impact availability for higher priority missions? 

Gen. Guillot: Senator, we work closely with the Transportation Command that operates these flights and are always looking to see if there are the authorities to contract that capability. 

Sen. Kelly: Do you know what missions were dropped? Admiral Halsey, same for you, do you know if we dropped any missions to be able to support the flights to India or GTMO? 

Admiral Halsey: I don’t know, sir. 

Gen. Guillot: Senator, I am not aware either. 

Sen. Kelly: Are you aware what the chain of custody looks like for detainees as we transfer them? 

Admiral Halsey: As far as right now, the DHS has the chain of custody for the detainees as far as those coming to GTMO. 

Sen. Kelly: So that’s not a military responsibility at all? 

Admiral Halsey: No, sir.  

[…] 

Chairman Wicker: Thank you, Senator Kelly. General and Admiral, Senator Kelly was not the first to mention the cost of MILAIR as compared to the cost of a charter flight. To your knowledge, are those figures correct? 

Gen. Guillot: Senator, to tell you the truth, I don’t have knowledge of that because those are all run through U.S. Transportation Command. I don’t have access to those numbers. 

Chairman Wicker: OK. You’ll get that to us, will you not? 

Gen. Guillot: Senator Chairman, of course, I’ll be very transparent. 

Chairman Wicker: And how about you, Admiral? 

Admiral Halsey: And I don’t know the figures, sir, but we can work to get that. 

Sen. Kelly: Mr. Chairman, if I could just make one comment. 

Chairman Wicker: Absolutely, yeah. 

Sen. Kelly: Just from experience, about 21,000 pounds an hour of fuel for a C-17, 737s is about 5,000 pounds per hour for fuel costs. Just in fuel costs, it’s about a four-x difference. 

Chairman Wicker: Thank you, but you will follow up, the witnesses will follow up.