Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida has voiced concerns over national security, questioning Delta Air Lines’ involvement in transporting undocumented immigrants from the U.S. southern border to the country’s interior without adequate vetting.
In a letter to Delta CEO Ed Bastion, Gaetz urged transparency in the relationships between the airline, federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) facilitating the transportation. Prompted by viral social media claims, Gaetz raised national security apprehensions about NGOs using taxpayer funds to purchase flights for undocumented immigrants, potentially boarding without proper identification.
Similar concerns were presented to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), focusing on screening procedures for immigrants aided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apps onto flights from southern border locations.
Gaetz, in his letter, highlighted that certain NGOs receiving federal grants might be using funds, including those from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to secure flights for non-resident aliens on Delta Air Lines. He echoed Senator Cruz’s alarm over taxpayers potentially funding flights for improperly vetted illegal immigrants, expressing concern about the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allowing alternate forms of identification for nonresident aliens boarding Delta Air Lines flights.
Gaetz posed specific questions to CEO Bastion regarding the number of transported nonresident aliens, the process by which NGOs acquire or reimburse airline tickets, any incentives or reimbursements received from the federal government, and TSA guidelines for nonresident alien identification during airport security.
The issue gained public attention through a December 19 viral post on social media by conservative commentator Ashley St. Clair, recounting her Delta flight from Phoenix with apparent migrants being transported to New York. St. Clair’s inquiry to a Delta representative, who responded dismissively, raised questions about the use of taxpayer dollars for such transportation.
Subsequent reports by other journalists corroborated similar instances of flights filled with undocumented immigrants released by CBP, raising concerns about airport security and the potential scale of the issue. Notably, a Fox News reporter shared a photo of illegal immigrants in dedicated security lines at the Tucson airport, and another reporter indicated a high volume of illegal migrants at the Laredo, Texas airport.
In a follow-up post, St. Clair revealed major airline boarding passes for migrants labeled as “NO NAME GIVEN,” highlighting a pervasive issue recently brought to light through media coverage.
