Full Breakdown
ICE Deportation Flights Operate from Ohio Regional Airports Amid Safety Concerns
By Drooid · · How we work
Background and Scope of Deportation Flights
Small regional airports in northeast Ohio have become a hub for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) charter operations. According to ICE Flights Monitor, about 300 deportation-related flights have departed from Youngstown-Warren and the neighboring Akron-Canton airports so far in 2026, while the facility recorded 398 “shuffle” flights last year. The typical aircraft is a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 operated by Air Wisconsin, often paired with larger planes such as an Eastern Air Express Boeing 737, together capable of carrying roughly 300 passengers per rotation. Flights usually leave in the late morning, transporting detainees from regional jails to detention centers in Alexandria, Louisiana, or directly to border towns such as Tapachula, Mexico.
Safety Incident and Airline Scrutiny
On 28 September, an Eastern Air Express plane struck the left horizontal stabilizer of a parked aircraft of the same company at Akron-Canton Regional Airport. Lisa Dalpiaz, the airport’s operations representative, said no injuries were reported and that the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating. The National Transportation Safety Board declined to open a formal probe, citing the lack of substantial damage or serious injuries. The incident has revived concerns about airline safety: in July, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed a $65,000 fine for Eastern Air Express for allowing 26 employees, including pilots, to perform safety-sensitive duties without required random drug and alcohol testing. The FAA indicated the enforcement process remains open.
Financial and Operational Impact on Airports
The surge in ICE-contracted flights has strained the finances of these small airports, which have faced declining passenger numbers for years. Dalpiaz explained that, as of February 2026, landing-fee waivers for government operations were extended to cover contractors, meaning the airports receive no landing-fee revenue from the deportation flights. In August, Akron-Canton recorded 34 ICE flights over 27 days, a rate that has persisted since late April.
Official Reactions and Advocacy
State and local officials have voiced criticism. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey previously demanded that Eastern Air Express and GlobalX cease deportation flights. Advocacy groups, represented by Savi Arvey of ICE Flight Monitor, have expressed ongoing worries about passenger safety on these charter operations. Community monitor Erin Bracken-Sanchez, a military veteran, argues that the use of obscure regional airports threatens broader civil-rights protections.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We have to fight for the rights of others because if they’re going to come for them, you know who’s next; they could knock on our doors next,” — Erin Bracken-Sanchez, a military veteran and resident of Massillon, Ohio
- “No injuries were reported, and other airfield operations were not impacted. [The airport’s] operations team responded immediately to the incident. Incident investigation is conducted by the Ohio state highway patrol,” — Lisa Dalpiaz
- “We’ve been very concerned on the safety of detained passengers on charter flights and followed the incident in Ohio,” — Savi Arvey, of ICE Flight Monitor
- “As of February 2026, landing fee waivers for Government operations were extended to cover contractors working on their behalf, so no landing fees are owed to the airport,” — Lisa Dalpiaz