ICE Deportation Flight Stuck on Frozen Runway During Blizzard

A deportation flight packed with ICE detainees sat stranded on a snow-covered runway for more than half a day as a powerful winter storm pummeled the Northeast.

The Boeing 767 landed at Portsmouth International Airport at Pease in New Hampshire just after 1 a.m. Monday. It had departed from Harlingen, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border — a common staging point for federal immigration removals.

What happened next turned into a logistical nightmare.

High winds and whiteout conditions made it impossible to tow the aircraft to the terminal. The plane remained parked on the tarmac until roughly 2:45 p.m., according to local reports. More than 12 hours after touchdown, the storm was still dictating the timeline.

Airport officials said they were given minimal warning.

“We had approximately 15 minutes’ notice before the flight arrived,” airport representatives told WMUR. “Had we been informed in advance of their intent to land at PSM during the blizzard, we would have strongly advised against it.”

That warning never came.

Portsmouth International Airport, known locally as Pease, has hosted major political figures in recent years, including President Joe Biden during a 2022 visit. But this was no campaign stop. It was a federal removal operation unfolding in the middle of a historic snowstorm.

Port City Air, which services the airport, distanced itself from the decision-making.

“Flight decisions are made by the Department of Homeland Security,” the company said. “We do not have the authority to turn away an aircraft when the airport is open.”

The Department of Homeland Security oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation flights. Such flights often operate overnight and transport detainees to international destinations after final removal orders are issued by immigration courts.

According to FlightAware tracking data, the aircraft is operated by Omni Air International and is scheduled to continue on to Sofia, Bulgaria.

It remains unclear how many detainees were on board or what provisions were available during the extended delay.

The blizzard that swept through the region brought heavy snowfall, dangerous wind gusts, and widespread travel disruptions across multiple states. Airports from Boston to New York reported delays and cancellations.

But few travelers were stuck quite like those aboard this flight — confined to a deportation plane, engines off, waiting out one of the worst winter storms of the season.

As federal immigration enforcement remains a flashpoint issue across the country, this incident is likely to raise new questions about coordination, safety planning, and storm preparedness during removal operations.

For more than 12 hours in the dark and snow, the storm — not the federal government — was in control.