ICE Air flying home US citizens from Central America during COVID-19 outbreak

WASHINGTON – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), working with the U.S. Department of State, has brought home a total of 209 U.S. citizens on the return leg of two removal flights via ICE Air Operations. U.S. citizens occupied the Space Available seats on flights to the United States from Honduras and El Salvador.

ICE removed Honduran nationals with final orders of removal from the United States to their home country on March 22, and Salvadoran nationals on March 24. On the return flight to the United States, ICE facilitated the transportation of U.S. citizens in accordance with the OMB Circular A-126 and the DHS MD 0020.1.

ICE will continue to work with the State Department to facilitate the safe return of U.S. citizens on future removal flight returns from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. These return operations could also potentially expand to other countries outside of the Northern Triangle.