The first flights deporting migrants who entered the U.S. illegally have started under the Trump administration, stated the White House spokesperson.

Caroline Levitt posted images on her X account showing migrants boarding a military aircraft.

The men are chained. A chain is wrapped around their waists, with their hands also restrained, as is typical for these flights. Military personnel accompany them as they walk up the ramp of the transport plane.

Deportation flights have begun.

President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences. pic.twitter.com/CTlG8MRcY1

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 24, 2025

“Deportation flights have started,” Levitt wrote in her post on X, adding: “President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the world: if you enter the U.S. illegally, you will face serious consequences.”

The use of military aircraft, however, is a “novelty” of the Trump administration.

It is not clear where these migrants came from, though it is speculated they are individuals who recently entered the U.S. and were apprehended by border patrol.

The first flights took place on Thursday afternoon, a Department of Homeland Security official told CNN. Between 75-80 people from Guatemala were deported.

Fox News Digital reported that between midnight on January 21 and 9:00 a.m. on January 22, more than 460 migrants with criminal records (theft, robbery, sexual assault, and violent offenses) were arrested. Their countries of origin included nations from South America (Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, and others), as well as Asia and Africa (e.g., Afghanistan and Angola).