First Thing: Huge climate cost of emissions from US immigration enforcement flights

Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign has triggered a dramatic surge in immigration flights, leading to a significant acceleration of the climate crisis. Data analysis reveals an at least 80% year-over-year increase in these flights, resulting in massive carbon dioxide emissions.

“

We’ve seen a staggering increase of all US immigration [enforcement] flights,” including “the number of flights as well as the locations that the flights are going to.

According to the analysis, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) air operations alone pumped out an estimated 335,876 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2025. This figure represents an 88% increase compared to the previous year. Projections for the first four months of 2026 indicate that the federal agency is on track to contribute even more to global heating through these flights.

Savitri Arvey, director of research and analysis for refugee and immigrant rights at Human Rights First, highlighted the "staggering increase" in both the number and destinations of US immigration enforcement flights. This escalation in air operations directly contributes to environmental damage.

“

continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.

The article also touches upon unrelated geopolitical and health issues. It notes US strikes on southern Iran targeting missile launch sites and mine-laying vessels, which US Central Command described as "defensive" actions during an ongoing ceasefire. Additionally, the World Health Organization has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is outpacing response efforts, putting neighboring countries at high risk.

“

We are urgently scaling up operations, but at the moment the epidemic is outpacing us.