US deports nearly 1,000 migrants on 21 flights from Louisiana

Saturday 03 - 09:30

By: Azzat Manal

US deports nearly 1,000 migrants on 21 flights from Louisiana

US authorities deported nearly 1,000 migrants from Alexandria International Airport in Louisiana on Friday, with 21 flights carrying people to several destinations, according to reports on the operation. Guatemala and El Salvador were among the countries involved.

The scale of the operation highlights the growing use of Louisiana aviation facilities in the US immigration enforcement system. Alexandria has increasingly been used as a departure point for deportation flights, while a new migrant processing facility with capacity for more than 500 people has also been planned in the area.

The operation came days after the US Supreme Court temporarily allowed the Trump administration to resume deportations of some migrants to countries other than their countries of origin. The court agreed to consider the broader legal dispute later this year, while allowing the policy to proceed in the meantime.

The policy has been the subject of ongoing litigation over due-process protections. A federal appeals court had previously ruled that migrants facing removal to third countries must receive adequate notice and an opportunity to raise concerns about possible persecution or torture. The Supreme Court's temporary order put that ruling on hold pending further proceedings.

The deportation flights form part of the Trump administration's broader immigration enforcement strategy, which has focused on expanding removals and increasing pressure on people without legal status in the United States. The administration has defended the measures as necessary to enforce immigration laws, while legal challenges continue over the procedures used in some removals.

The large-scale operation in Louisiana illustrates the logistical expansion accompanying the administration's deportation policy, as authorities rely on dedicated facilities and charter flights to transport migrants out of the country.