Migrants on ICE deportation flights have reported being kept in full restraints for long periods, with limited access to food, water, and restrooms. Advocates and watchdog groups are urging the agency and its private contractors to provide more transparency about conditions on these charter flights.
Melissa Tran, a Maryland mother of four who was deported to Vietnam in November, told local media that the trip took about two days, leaving her separated from her family after more than three decades in the United States. Her lawyer stated that Tran and other deportees were shackled throughout the journey.
Reports from deportees and flight crews have increased scrutiny of “ICE Air,” the agency’s aviation program that mainly relies on private charter companies and contracted security. A 2025 investigation by ProPublica found that private guards on deportation planes control when passengers receive food and water and whether they can use restrooms. This arrangement leaves flight attendants with limited power over how people in custody are treated.
ICE claims that its air operations focus on safety and security, stating that detainees are offered food and water during transit, based on the length of the flight. Agency policy documents also mention the use of restraints during transport. An ICE Air Operations handbook specifies that detainees should not arrive at an airlift in restraints that need to be removed before boarding, highlighting that security measures are integrated into the flight process.
Civil rights advocates argue that the use of full-body restraints, along with long flight times and restricted movement, can lead to degrading conditions, especially when bathroom access is limited. An October 2025 report by the Associated Press discussed ICE’s use of a full-body restraint device known as the WRAP during deportations. This report included accounts from deportees and attorneys who said some individuals were restrained for many hours, even when they were not violent.
The discussion about conditions on deportation flights has also brought attention to the private aviation industry involved in these removals. Omni Air International is one of the charter airlines that has operated government missions. Its parent company, Air Transport Services Group, listed Omni as a subsidiary. In April 2025, investment firm Stonepeak announced that it had completed its acquisition of ATSG, which included ATSG’s subsidiaries, like Omni.
Human Rights First’s ICE Flight Monitor project has tracked immigration enforcement flights. A December 2025 report highlighted record levels of flight activity during the second Trump administration, including both removal flights and domestic transfer flights. Advocates believe that the scale of operations makes basic safeguards, documentation, and independent oversight more essential.
Tran’s case gained extensive attention because she had been ordered released from custody by a judge weeks before her deportation, according to CBS News Baltimore. Tran was first taken into ICE custody in May and ordered released in October after a judge determined the government was holding her unnecessarily. However, she still faced a deportation order related to an old conviction.
Supporters characterized Tran as a longtime U.S. resident and business owner, while her family described significant emotional distress. “She only wants to take care of the kids. Now, she can’t do that,” her husband told CBS News Baltimore after her arrival in Vietnam.
