US signs nearly $140m deal to purchase six Boeing 737s for use in deportations

Funds for contract signed with Daedalus Aviation will come from $170bn allocated for Trump’s border policy

The Department of Homeland Security has signed a nearly $140m contract to purchase six Boeing 737 planes for deportation operations.

The contract, signed with the Virginia-based firm Daedalus Aviation, was first reported by the Washington Post on Wednesday and later confirmed by DHS.

In a statement to the Guardian confirming the purchase, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said: “This new initiative will save $279m in taxpayer dollars by allowing ICE to operate more effectively, including by using more efficient flight patterns.”

She added: “President Trump and Secretary Noem are committed to quickly and efficiently getting criminal illegal aliens OUT of our country.”