Sen. Mark Kelly asks questions during a meeting of the Armed Services Committee.
Arizona's senior U.S. Senator Mark Kelly called into question the fiscal responsibility of using large military aircraft to deport migrants who lack legal status in the country during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last week.
Kelly made the observation in the lead up to a question he asked of Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander of United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, and Admiral Alvin Holsey, Commander of United States Southern Command. He asked about the effect of using military aircraft on emergency readiness while also noting the cost difference.
"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 [military air transport] costs around $28,000 per hour or so for a C-17, that’s four times as much if [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] would’ve chartered a flight.”
Kelly went on to ask Gen. Guillot if he was concerned about how such transports impact readiness for higher level missions.
Kelly later explained to committee chair Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) that his cost estimates were based on fuel consumption. Wicker had asked Gen. Guillot if he had data to show the costs of such flights.
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