Remote Surveillance Trailer in Mesa, AZ

The Trump administration has been sending immigrants to African nations like Ghana as part of their deportation operations, often with those aboard not even being from the continent — and Arizona is at the heart of that operation.

A 16-seater jet that routinely flies from the Mesa Gateway Airport and flew 20 deportation flights in 2024 is already on track to surpass that number this year — with the majority of its flights to Africa happening in the past month, as the Trump administration has shifted its deportation strategy in response to court rulings limiting expediting deportations to Latin America.

Arizona, and specifically Mesa Gateway Airport, play a crucial role in ICE’s ramping up aerial deportation efforts. The airport hosts the agency’s headquarters for its “ICE Air” operations, which uses subcontractors and subleases to disguise deportation aircraft.

And those aircraft are very well disguised.

The 16-seat jet that has been making regular visits to Africa from Mesa does its best to hide its true ownership, and even participates in a Federal Aviation Administration program that allows the public data shared about it to be limited, preventing it from being tracked on certain flight tracking sites.

The Arizona Mirror was able to identify a handful of people connected to the aircraft through records requests, but attempts to speak with them were unsuccessful. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that the aircraft is being used for removal flights in a statement to the Mirror.

“The removal of illegal aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States is a core responsibility of ICE and is regularly carried out by ICE Air Operations,” an ICE spokesperson said in response to the Mirror’s questions. “For operational security, ICE does not release information about removal flights prior to them occurring.”

ICE’s Air Operations are based out of Mesa and Mesa Gateway Airport is where the agency coordinates to send immigrants across the country to various detention facilities and around the world.

“ICE Air Charter Operations may modify flight routes and schedules as necessary to meet operational requirements,” the ICE statement to the Mirror said. “Removal missions are regularly conducted to different countries around the world.”

So, what do we know about the aircraft that has been making regular trips to multiple African countries from Mesa Gateway?

From Hard Rock Hotel to Africa

According to FAA records the Mirror obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, the jet was brought to the United States from Mexico in the early 1990s, when it was purchased by the Gulfstream company, who manufactured the aircraft. In the decades since, it has been sold and resold a number of times.

Among its owners over the years have been Coca-Cola Enterprises and the Hard Rock Hotel, before it entered the charter business. It was once a charter plane that carried U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders around the country during his 2020 presidential campaign.

The charter business has become a big player in the deportation industry.

Those contracts to conduct deportation flights are lucrative, with the Project on Government Oversight reporting that CSI Aviation, whose corporate director was a “fake elector” in New Mexico for Trump, was awarded a no-bid contract for $128 million.

CSI Aviation mostly uses subcontractors to conduct many of its flights, with companies like GlobalX doing the vast majority of the work.

The jet the Mirror obtained records for says it is registered to a company called “Jet Black Aviation Group LLC” based out of Texas. Attempts to reach the person registered for the Texas-based company went unreturned and the aircraft was observed taxiing to a hangar that is frequently used by CSI Aviation aircraft.

CSI Aviation did not respond to questions about whether the aircraft belongs to them, a subcontractor or the United States government.

In a further attempt to understand the true ownership of the aircraft, the Mirror tried to determine what company holds the Part 135 certificate, which grants the air carrier the ability to move cargo and do other services, and is often required by the FAA for certain charter work.

But the database is “several months” out of date, according to a representative for the company listed as holding the Part 135 certificate for the jet who said they no longer held the jet’s certificate.

The Trump administration’s cutbacks under the Department of Government Efficiency have hit the FAA particularly hard, and the agency had already been chronically understaffed prior to the cuts. It is unclear how those cuts may be impacting the Part 135 database.

An FAA spokesperson provided the Mirror with the owner of the certificate and said that the database is updated monthly and the next update will have the updated information on the aircraft, but did not respond to follow up questions asking why the database had been out of date for “several months.”

The owner of that certificate led to a company called Aircraft Transport Service, which on its own site lists “repatriation service flights for U.S. Customs and Border Protection” as one of its services.

The company has gotten $15 million in federal dollars in the last 12 months, with $14.66 million of that coming from ICE for “nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation.”

The aircraft was first spotted flying to Africa after leaving Arizona by Bluesky user JJ in DC, who has been tracking the aircraft for months.

Senegal, South Africa, Benin and more…

Since Aug. 6, the jet has been making trips to Africa, often stopping in Puerto Rico before heading there.

On its Aug. 6 flight, it landed at an airport in Senegal before departing to an airport in Ivory Coast and then landing in Burkina Faso before returning to Senegal. The aircraft made a similar journey again just a few days later on Aug. 9, this time landing in Ghana, as well.

The flights to Africa by the Trump administration have generated controversy. Lawsuits have alleged that, on some of the 16-hour flights, detainees were put in straightjackets and given minimal food or water.

In its statement to the Mirror, ICE said the agency is “committed to ensuring the highest standards of safety and transparency in its aviation operations” in response to the Mirror’s questions about safety aboard flights, especially those conducted by contractors.

“The agency follows detailed procedures and policies for flight operations, ensuring full compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements,” the unnamed ICE spokesperson said. “These efforts reflect ICE’s dedication to operating safely and responsibly while adhering to all applicable laws.”

Reports have also surfaced that the administration has sent some individuals to prisons in Africa despite their home countries being willing to take them back, according to Axios.

Some of the African countries that have begun accepting deportations have also agreed to monetary payments for the deal. The country of Eswatini will receive $5.1 million for 160 deportees and Rwanda will get $7.5 million for 250 deportees.

The Trump administration has said that it plans to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who is originally from El Salvador, to Eswatini.

But this aircraft isn’t even the only one that has been spotted leaving Mesa Gateway for Africa in recent months. Other aircraft the Mirror was able to determine that belong to Aircraft Transport Service flew missions to the same countries as far back as June. Online researchers also took note of the aircraft.

And ICE has recently been using military flights to conduct its operations to Africa, though it doesn’t appear any military deportation flights have originated from Mesa Gateway Airport.

The airport is also home to a lesser-known detention facility.

The Arizona Removal Operations Coordination Center, or AROCC for short, is a 25,000-square-foot facility at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. It opened in 2010 to little fanfare and can house up to 157 detainees and 79 employees from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to an ICE press release from 2010.

They had no place to go in California to play high school football after they were declared ineligible. Other states wouldn't take them.

Mesa High School welcomed them.

Now, the Jackrabbits, who haven't been considered an Arizona high school football powerhouse since the early 1990s under coach Jim Rattay, have become a national focal point with four former Bishop Montgomery players out of Torrance, California, about to take the field for the first time this season on Friday night, Oct. 3, at Tucson Salpointe Catholic.

A win would give Mesa (2-3), with its long, storied history, its 700th football win, a milestone no other Arizona high school has reached.

And ready to take them there are junior quarterback Kane "Boogie" Anetema, his brother and junior wide receiver Kingston Anetema and their cousins, sophomore linebacker Kainalu Skipps and senior tight end Caleb Tafua.

The four were ruled ineligible by the California Interscholastic Federation, along with 15 other players at Bishop Montgomery, after a pay-to-play investigation. The school forfeited its entire season as a result. The four players transferred to Mesa last month.

Asked if they bring a chip on their shoulders into this first game, Texas A&M commit Tafua said, "Yes, after a lot of attention on this school now."

He said the players want to prove they can help the Jackrabbits.

"A lot of rival schools are like, 'Why Mesa?' " Tafua said. "But we just want to go somewhere we can play. We really came here because we know it's not the best team in Arizona. We want to prove something, that we don't have to go to a Basha.

"We can come to Mesa, a good coaching staff, play our best."

There are critics in Arizona who feel they shouldn't be allowed to play anywhere, after a recruiting scandal that included falsifying information and payments from a booster known as the "Money Man," who admitted to noted Los Angeles-area sports reporter Tarek Fattal on his YouTube channel that he paid as much as $50,000 to families to send their sons to Bishop Montgomery.

The CIF-Southern Section declared the 19 players ineligible for two years in any sport within the California Interscholastic Federation.

After it was reported that the four players enrolled at Mesa, the Arizona Interscholastic Association heard concerns and quickly moved to tighten its out-of-state, in-season transfer rule. But, because the Mesa players enrolled before the Executive Board approved the change, it didn't apply to them. The revised rule makes in-season, out-of-state transfers ineligible for a year unless they can prove a hardship, such as an unavoidable job transfer that forced a family to move.

Mesa decided to wait until half the season was played before making them eligible. Mesa Public Schools also reviewed the situation, making sure the four players relocated properly under the prior transfer rules with a third-party legal review that concluded on Oct. 1. All four players were cleared. The district investigation was done in conjunction with Mesa High.

"Mesa Public Schools and Mesa High remain committed to compliance and transparency as we move forward," MPS Athletic Director Tommy Eubanks said in a district statement sent to The Arizona Republic.

Mesa coach Jeremy Hathcock said other players on the team have welcomed the new players.

"Our kids are receptive to it. They're a really good group of young men. Every coach is going to say it. But I truly mean it,'' he said.

"But it could flip our script. If you watched us play the last few weeks, we've played so hard. We're just missing a few pieces. Just like anybody, that Game 6 is different in 6A. So we'll see what happens."

Boogie Anetema called this path to eligibility "a bumpy" road to get here.

"But I'm just blessed I'm able to play," he said. "Just to be out here, it's a blessing."

They all know about Mesa's history. They also feel at home in a program that has embraced a strong Polynesian culture since Vai Sikahema and Deuce Lutui starred there.

"I love the community," Boogie said. "All the people are very welcoming. They've got a good energy here."

Kingston says all of the California drama is behind him and feels grateful to not just practice but actually play in a game.

"I learned a lot," Kingston said. "I feel I matured a lot throughout this whole experience. I'm just going to learn from it. I just want to play."

For Skipps, this will be his first varsity game.

"Honestly, just having a chance to play is really the biggest blessing I get," he said. "I didn't play last year, so this Friday is my first varsity game. I hope I go crazy."

These four could galvanize the Mesa program.

The Jackrabbits have shown grit in the first five weeks with new coach Hathcock piecing the team together amid multiple injuries that saw him using three different quarterbacks. Edge rusher Joe Haynie, the heart and soul of the defense, has returned from an ankle injury. And running back Rio Arnett has emerged with 121 rushing yards a game.

Tafua said what happened in California is in the "past" without elaborating, and looks forward to helping Mesa make history.

"I've got to focus on what I've got going on right now, which is practice and a game on Friday," Tafua said. "I'm thankful for them even letting us come here. I know a lot of states we tried after we got banned in California and they weren't accepting us. But very thankful that we get to play out here, and play the game that we love."

Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic.Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don't miss a thing. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert

CRG, the national real estate development and investment firm, announced that Hadrian, an advanced manufacturing company building AI-powered factories for America, will establish a large-scale manufacturing and software hub at the 269,500 square feet at Building A of The Cubes at Mesa Gateway. Known as Factory 3 (F3), the advanced manufacturing facility represents a $200 million investment by Hadrian and will create 350 new jobs in the region. F3 is slated to be fully operational by January 2026 — just six months from now — demonstrating Hadrian’s ability to launch new production capacity at unprecedented speed.

The new Mesa facility will bolster domestic manufacturing for critical aerospace and defense systems, strengthening U.S. supply chains in support of national security. Powered by Hadrian’s proprietary “Opus” software platform for production autonomy, the company’s highly automated factories are designed to come online in under six months. This rapid, automation-driven approach enables resilient supply chains and delivers mission-critical components faster than traditional manufacturing systems, while creating high-skill jobs for American workers.

“The Southeast Valley is booming with high-tech industries — from aerospace and defense to semiconductors and electric vehicles – but most of the area’s industrial inventory has historically catered to smaller users,” said Mark Sonnenberg, Executive Vice President and Partner, Southwest Region at CRG. “We’re delivering modern, secure industrial space with infrastructure specifically designed to support today’s advanced manufacturing operations. This includes generous above-market parking, a fully secured and expandable truck court, and robust power capacity — all features high-tech users like Hadrian need to scale quickly and operate efficiently in a single-tenant environment.”

The Cubes at Mesa Gateway is a 268-acre industrial park where CRG and its capital partners have developed 2 million square feet of industrial facilities across multiple phases. The project is strategically located at the junction of East Pecos Road and South Crismon Road in the Southeast Valley submarket of the Phoenix MSA. The site offers exceptional connectivity – it lies just five miles from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and immediately south of the State Route 24 freeway extension, which provides direct access to the Loop 202 and the greater Phoenix area.

The Cubes at Mesa Gateway was designed by CRG integrated partner Lamar Johnson Collaborative, while its parent company, Clayco, served as general contractor. The facility features state-of-the-art specifications tailored to modern industrial users, including a 36-foot clear height, 48 dock-high loading doors, 3 drive-in doors, 190-foot deep secured concrete truck courts, 62 trailer and 275 parking spaces.

The building is also fully climate-controlled and equipped with an ESFR sprinkler system and high-efficiency LED lighting, providing an optimal environment for advanced manufacturing operations. These modern features, combined with the site’s heavy industrial (GI) zoning and infrastructure for robust power capacity, position The Cubes at Mesa Gateway as a hub for next-generation advanced manufacturing.

CRG established its Phoenix presence in 2020 and has since launched two major business parks in the region — first The Cubes at Glendale in the Southwest Valley, and The Cubes at Mesa Gateway in the Southeast Valley. Together, the two projects account for over 600 acres of Class A industrial real estate in the Greater Phoenix metro. At The Cubes at Glendale, CRG has completed 3.6 million-square-feet of industrial development.

The park is currently 100% occupied, including full-building users like Williams Sonoma (Building A), Amazon (Building B), US Merchants (Building D), and Saddle Creek Logistics (Building E).That momentum is mirrored at Mesa Gateway, with Hadrian leasing Building A, joining Lowe’s (Building C) and JX Nippon (Building E) as users across the broader campus. These successes highlight the region’s robust industrial demand and affirm the strategic importance of both the Southwest and Southeast Valley submarkets.