The Escalation of the Third Wave of National Removal Operations

The logistical framework supporting this third wave of removals relies heavily on an expanded fleet of charter aircraft and the strategic use of domestic transfer flights, often referred to as shuffle flights. These operations are designed to move detainees from high-density urban areas to rural detention centers or coastal staging hubs before they are permanently removed from the country. This internal movement serves to maximize the capacity of detention facilities while simultaneously complicating the ability of legal advocates to reach their clients. The administration’s reliance on these specialized flight paths demonstrates a sophisticated level of planning aimed at ensuring that the deportation pipeline remains unobstructed by local judicial stays or logistical bottlenecks.