Why It Matters
Senators Patty Murray and Chris Murphy are pressing the Department of Homeland Security for a full accounting of its recent aircraft acquisitions, demanding contract details, flight logs, and legal justifications by late August.
The inquiry centers on DHS's purchase of 12 new aircraft using funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), including five luxury jets that have drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and former officials. DHS acquired two Gulfstream 700 luxury business jets, one Boeing 737-8 MAX business jet equipped with a bedroom and other luxury amenities like a shower, kitchen, bar, and flatscreen TVs, and seven Boeing 737s that can seat upwards of 200 passengers.
DHS already operated two Gulfstream jets before acquiring the new ones.
According to the senators' letter, top former DHS officials and industry experts have characterized the spending as wasteful. The acquisitions raise questions about how OBBBA funds provided for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to acquire aircraft were deployed, particularly given DHS's stated dual-use justifications for some aircraft.
What They're Saying
Senators Murray and Murphy requested purchase contracts for each plane, retrofit and missionization contracts, life-cycle cost analyses for operations and maintenance, and comprehensive flight logs including passenger names, titles, origins, destinations, and travel purposes. The senators also asked for the lease agreement with the FBI for one G650 jet and the loan agreement with the Department of Defense for the Boeing 737-8 MAX. They've asked DHS to furnish the legal justifications for the purchase, operation, and maintenance, as well as planned uses, of these aircraft by August 26.
The letter was forwarded to the DHS Inspector General, flagging the aircraft acquisition and use as warranting investigation.
The Aircraft Portfolio
DHS acquired two Gulfstream 700s to support travel for DHS officials, White House Border Czar Tom Homan, other administration officials, members of the first family, and FBI Director Kash Patel. The FBI already maintains its own jets for the Director's travel.
The other G650 is being retrofitted to support Border Czar Homan and undisclosed DHS officials' travel.
The Boeing 737-8 MAX was pitched by DHS as serving dual missions for both ICE deportation flights and cabinet-level travel. The aircraft has flown missions using the "EXEC1F" callsign, which has also been used for first lady travel. DHS has since informed the senators that the bedroom is being removed and the plane will remain in ICE's ownership but be loaned to the Department of Defense to fly undisclosed cabinet-level officials.
Seven Boeing 737 commercial aircraft were also acquired. DHS claims four will support Congressional Delegations, while three will support ICE deportation flights.
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