DHS Officials Question Whether Noem’s $70 Million Luxury Jet Is Really for Deportations

United States Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has had a hectic couple of months — and now appears ready to splurge.

According to an NBC report, Noem ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to inform the White House Office of Management and Budget that she wants a luxury jet for immigrant deportations and cabinet officials’ travel. the jet would come complete with a bedroom featuring a queen-size bed, showers, a kitchen, four large flat-screen TVs, and a bar.

The aircraft features interior designs by New York designer Peter Marino. It can house 18 passengers, with sleeping arrangements for up to 14 people.

The Department of Homeland Security is seeking approval to purchase a Boeing 737 Max 8 for $70 dollars. “At least one of the bedrooms is currently being converted for seating to prepare the aircraft to meet the demands of its deportation mission set,” a spokesperson for DHS said.

Some Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have reportedly dismissed the aircraft as “too luxurious” for deportations. The proposed purchase has left them questioning whether such an expense is necessary to support Donald Trump’s Operation Metro Surge.

U.S. Rep. Nelida Avila Pou of New Jersey's 9th Congressional District wrote on X, “Wet bar. Showers. Leather couches. While Americans struggle to afford groceries and rent, Kristi Noem is planning on buying $70M luxury jet. @HomelandDems will keep pushing for transparency and accountability — and we won’t stop calling out this corruption.”

“Come on everybody, Kristi Noem’s new plane won’t even have a beauty salon.” — tweeted one user, perfectly capturing the internet’s mood.

A DHS official also questioned whether the request to the White House for the aircraft was “too far-fetched.”

However, the spokesperson for DHS said the aircraft is expected to save hundreds of millions of dollars. “This new plane will serve dual missions— both as ICE deportation flights and for cabinet level travel,” the DHS spokesperson said.

“This plane flies at 40% cheaper than what the military aircraft flies for ICE deportation flights—saving the American taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars. This is part of Secretary Noem’s broader efforts to clamp down on inefficiencies and save taxpayer dollars,” NBC reported.

Kristi Noem has reportedly instructed ICE to purchase five non-luxury Boeing 737 aircraft. This would allow the agency to operate its own deportation flights instead of relying on charter services. Plans call for eventually expanding the fleet to a total of eight planes.

This is not the first time Noem has spent taxpayers’ money on luxury aircrafts. She reportedly spent nearly 200 million dollars of taxpayer money on a pair of top-of-the-line luxury Gulfstream G700 private jets. This occurred during a government shutdown in October 2025.