Key Lime Air, an airline based in Englewood, is reported to be facilitating flights for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) involving detainees, according to data and flight tracking by Colorado Newsline.
On October 9, 2023, personnel dressed in reflective vests escorted 11 handcuffed individuals off a plane registered to Key Lime at King County International Airport near Seattle. Shortly after, another group of 38 detainees was led off a bus, submitted to pat-downs, and then boarded the Key Lime aircraft, which subsequently flew to El Paso, Texas. White trash bags containing what appeared to be the detainees’ personal effects were left on the tarmac.
Cameron Satterfield, a representative for the airport, confirmed that the flight was conducted for ICE by Key Lime Air.
A Newsline reporter observed the plane through a livestream of the tarmac, highlighting the often chaotic nature of these flights that transfer individuals across the country. Advocates for immigrant rights have warned about the negative impact such transferring can have on the mental health of detainees, as well as their connections to family and legal representatives.
Laura Lunn, director of advocacy and litigation for the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, expressed concerns about the inefficiency and punitive feel of such transfers: “Transfers are inefficient, chaotic and can feel punitive, particularly when people are spirited away from their community, family, and lawyers to an unfamiliar place where they have no ties.”
A similar scenario unfolded on October 11 in Alexandria, Louisiana, involving a different but related Key Lime flight. Flight data indicates that this operation is a continuation of frequent immigration enforcement actions conducted by this airline.
Key Lime Air has emerged as the first known Englewood-based airline engaged in immigration enforcement flights since the mass deportation efforts began earlier this year under the Trump administration.
While the aircraft do not display Key Lime logos or branding, they carry unique registration numbers that have allowed for tracking their operations. CEO Cliff Honeycutt did not disclose specifics about contracts with ICE but acknowledged that the company operates under a subcontract with CSI Aviation — a major federal contractor for ICE flights with a $563 million contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“Yes, but again, we really don’t discuss our customers’ arrangements,” Honeycutt stated when asked if Key Lime operates under a CSI subcontract.
Federal Aviation Administration records identify one of the planes observed near Seattle as operated by Key Lime, with aviation resource Ch-aviation corroborating this assignment. A review of flight data reveals a growing trend of aircraft transporting detainees between various ICE detention facilities across the country. Human rights monitors have recorded a significant increase in domestic immigration enforcement flights, reaching a record of 969 in September, with Key Lime accounting for 83 of those flights.
An unnamed ICE spokesperson directed inquiries back to Key Lime, which has not responded to multiple requests for further information. Additionally, a company representative declined to comment to a Newsline journalist who visited their headquarters.
Lunn further articulated the disruption these flight transfers can cause: “Attorneys are forced to figure out how to reach clients in facilities far from their offices or the courts where they practice. Family members are no longer able to visit their loved ones whom they are simply too far away from. All of this breeds a sense of confusion, and the most common assumption people make when they are being put on a plane is that they are being deported.”
The Trump administration’s intensified focus on deporting immigrants without permanent legal status has led to an increase in federal policies aimed at mass deportation. This includes a notable budget boost, allocating $170 billion for various immigration enforcement initiatives and plans to restore previously unused detention facilities for ICE operations, including two in Colorado. The administration claimed over 400,000 deportations since President Donald Trump took office.
Flight tracking data indicates that in mid-September, the two Key Lime planes altered their flight patterns to primarily service large ICE detention centers, specifically in Southern states.
From September 15 to October 17, one or both planes consistently operated in and out of major immigration detention hubs such as Alexandria, Harlingen, and El Paso. Most notably, Alexandria frequently serves as a final destination prior to international deportation flights, underscoring the crucial role these planes play in the ICE enforcement network.
During this time frame, Key Lime’s aircraft visited Alexandria 59 times, Harlingen 11 times, and El Paso 14 times, among other locations. Records from October 7 illustrate the flight path of one plane, which traveled from Alexandria to Nashville, back to Alexandria, and then onwards to Tampa, eventually returning again to Alexandria for the night.
The obscure nature of ICE flights and constant changes in their tracking data complicate the transparency of these operations. Federal authorities tend to release minimal information, and ICE does not provide schedules or logs of agency flights, further obscuring their activities.
Some carriers have opted to block their aircraft registration numbers from popular flight tracking tools as part of the Limiting Aircraft Data Displayed program. Both reported Key Lime planes appear to have been hidden from public view on FlightAware.
Despite these barriers, keen observers have maintained focus on Key Lime’s involvement in ICE operations for several weeks. Their engagement with ICE flights became apparent through a post on BlueSky by a user named JJ in DC, who has a military background that includes flight tracking expertise. Notably, planes transporting detained immigrants have begun employing atypical call signs, which often hint at connections to ICE. The two planes transitioned from using the call sign “LYM” to “TYS” or “TYSON” shortly after September, a change recognized as a potential indicator of ICE flights.
Guadalupe Gonzalez, a flight monitoring coordinator with Washington-based La Resistencia, noted, “We just saw this big shift and we’ve noticed that a significant number of ICE contractors are now using these faux call signs to obscure their activity. I haven’t seen a flight under TYSON that hasn’t been operating under ICE.”
Key Lime Air operates from Centennial Airport, additionally providing passenger charter flights and scheduled flights through its subsidiary Denver Air Connection. The aircraft in question are Embraer commuter jets, capable of accommodating around 50 passengers, according to various online databases.
The ownership of these planes belongs to CBG LLC, an Oregon-based company. It is a common practice for different entities to own and operate an aircraft. Key Lime frequently manages operations for CBG planes. Their original application to the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2009 indicated a significant overlap in ownership between Key Lime and CBG.
Key Lime is currently the only airline in Colorado identified as conducting ICE flights, while CSI Aviation operates as a subcontractor to numerous other airlines, including Avelo, Global Exchange, and Eastern Air Express.
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