ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – More unmarked planes carrying undocumented immigrants are being flown into the Abilene Regional Airport.

Airport officials confirm Immigration and Customs Enforcement planes have been landing about once a month for the past 4 or 5 months.

ICE detainees, who are restrained, then get off the planes and are loaded onto buses to be taken to nearby detention facilities in Jones County.

In August 2021, similar ICE flights were happening in Abilene without the City’s knowledge or the knowledge of politicians like United States Representative Jodey Arrington.

By the time the City became aware of the flights, ICE had brought hundreds of immigrants into the community then released them on bond, even taking dozens to Abilene’s Salvation Army on Butternut Street after they had no where else to go.

It’s currently unknown if the immigrants that have been flown into Abilene over the past several months are also part of a similar ‘Catch and Release’ program.

No further information is available at this time.