Aerial movements under scrutiny: Plane linked to ICE lands in Dominican Republic
An aircraft associated with the operations of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) caught attention after landing at San Isidro Air Base, in Santo Domingo. The flight, registered under the call sign TYSON49, completed a route that began in El Paso, Texas, with a previous technical stop in Florida.
According to flight tracking data, the aircraft, a Boeing 737-300 model, arrived on Dominican soil on September 17. The record indicates that the plane touched down at 4:04 in the afternoon and remained in the country for a period of one hour and 33 minutes, taking off again for Opa-locka, Florida, at 5:37 in the afternoon.
Context of the migration agreement
This aerial movement has raised various questions because it coincides with the validity of a memorandum of understanding signed between the Dominican Republic and the United States. This agreement, formalized on May 12, 2026, establishes a framework for the temporary and exceptional entry of citizens from third countries who are in transit.
Regarding this mechanism, the Dominican authorities have highlighted key points:
- Applications are evaluated individually, under a case-by-case analysis.
- Haitian citizens, unaccompanied minors, and individuals with criminal records are explicitly excluded.
- The financial and operational support for these operations is provided by the U.S. government.
- The stay of individuals in Dominican territory is strictly temporary before their final transfer to their countries of origin.
To date, there is no official confirmation directly linking flight TYSON49 to the execution of this memorandum, nor has it been possible to determine the number of passengers on board or their immigration status through public aviation records.
Alofoke Deportes will continue to follow up on any official information that clarifies the nature of these air operations and their impact on the national migration agenda.
