Earlier this year, Congress signed off on $170 billion for President Donald Trump’s border and immigration agenda over four years as part of the GOP’s sprawling tax bill. The money for the planes is coming from that funding, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss information that had not been made public….
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The DHS contract is with Daedalus Aviation, which was established in February 2024, according to corporate records. A Virginia state corporation commission filing dated Dec. 5 lists William Allen Walters III as its president and Taundria Cappel as treasurer and chief financial officer.
Daedalus Aviation’s website states that it “offers a full range of commercial and charter aviation services” and “provides comprehensive responsive flight operations tailored to the unique needs of each mission.”
Walters and Cappel are also listed as the chief executive and chief financial officer, respectively, of a separate company, Salus Worldwide Solutions, according to an Aug. 1 corporate filing. That company’s nearly $1 billion contract with DHS to support voluntary “self-deportation” is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit, which described it as an “unlawful, rushed and noncompetitive award.”
Walters declined to comment about the $140 million contract for the airplanes. His lawyer did not respond to a separate inquiry about the agreement….
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The purchase of the planes also raises questions about what DHS will do with them after Trump leaves office. ICE Air Operations, the agency’s main air transportation division, has relied primarily on charter-flight companies for deportation flights. The use of charter planes has historically given administrations more flexibility to increase or decrease flights, according to people familiar with the operations….
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