Guardian Investigation: ICE Used Private Jet Owned By Trump Associate To Deport Palestinians To West Bank

A Guardian investigation has revealed a covert and politically sensitive US operation in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) used charter flights to deport Palestinians arrested in the United States to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Details Of The Flights

According to the report, a private jet registered to Florida property developer Gil Dezer — a longtime business partner and donor to Donald Trump — made at least two flights transporting Palestinian men from Arizona to Tel Aviv. Dezer is also identified as a member of the Miami branch of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.

ICE did not provide details about the cost of the two recent flights. The agency has previously said that charter-flight hourly rates can range from nearly $7,000 to more than $26,000; aviation industry sources told the Guardian that a round trip to Israel would likely have cost in the range of $400,000–$500,000.

What Happened On Arrival

On the morning of 21 January, Israeli authorities reportedly left eight Palestinian men at a checkpoint in the West Bank. The men, described as disoriented and cold, were wearing prison-issued tracksuits and carrying their few belongings in plastic bags. Hours earlier they had been seated, with wrists and ankles shackled, on the private jet.

Context And Reactions

Former US officials and immigration lawyers told the Guardian that the charter flights and Israel’s role in returning Palestinians to the occupied territory represent a shift in practice that aligns with the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation agenda. Critics argue the operation raises legal and ethical questions, including how deportations to occupied territory are being handled.

ICE Response: Agency officials declined to answer detailed questions about the operation and costs. Aviation sources provided cost estimates to the Guardian.

Related Political And Policy Developments

• Political Fallout: President Donald Trump offered shifting explanations for why former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was reportedly present at an FBI raid of an election office in Georgia, saying at times that her presence was at the urging of state officials.
• International Diplomacy: After months of exchanges with Trump, Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel said Cuba was willing to engage in dialogue with the United States "without pressure or preconditions." Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned the US to be "prudent" about supplying arms to Taiwan, according to a Chinese readout of a call with Trump.
• Domestic Policy Moves: The administration has signalled an overhaul of civil service protections via a rule from the Office of Personnel Management that could strip job protections for roughly 50,000 civil servants. In Minneapolis, an announced withdrawal of 700 federal immigration officers was presented as an attempt to reduce tensions amid a statewide crackdown.
• Other News: Newly released files linked to Jeffrey Epstein show extensive, previously unseen communications with Steve Bannon. The Oregon Supreme Court ordered dismissal of many criminal cases because of a shortage of public defenders. US job openings fell to their lowest level in more than five years as of December, and an independent Oregon cinema claims Amazon pulled screenings of a documentary about Melania Trump.

This developing story raises important questions about the coordination between US and Israeli authorities, the use of private aircraft in deportation operations, and the legal and humanitarian implications of returning individuals to occupied territory.

Catching up? Here’s what happened on 4 February 2026.