Irish politicians have strongly condemned the use of Shannon Airport in County Clare by planes deporting Palestinians from the US to Israel. A private jet owned by Donald Trump donor Gil Dezer was used on two flights chartered by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These flights left the US on January 21 and February 1 and stopped for refuelling at Shannon airport in western Ireland. Dezer’s family company built Trump-branded towers in Miami, and he describes his 20-year friendship with Trump with great affection. Those deported on Dezer’s jet reported being shackled during the journey. After landing in Tel Aviv, the deportees were taken to the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Ireland’s government said the flights did not need approval because they only refueled and did not take passengers on or off in Ireland. Opposition politicians were quick to react. Duncan Smith, Labour party’s foreign affairs spokesperson, said, “It is absolutely reprehensible that any ICE deportation flights would be allowed stop and refuel in Shannon. The taoiseach and minister for transport must intervene and ensure this ends.” He added, “Ireland cannot in any way be complicit in these ICE flights.” Green party leader Roderic O’Gorman called the use of Shannon Airport “deeply disturbing,” linking it to the “cruel actions of Donald Trump’s ICE.” Patricia Stephenson of the Social Democrats urged the government to clarify if it knowingly allowed the flights and raised concerns about human rights violations. Dezer’s jet was booked via Journey Aviation, a Florida-based company frequently used by US authorities to rent private planes. The company declined comments. Human Rights First revealed that Dezer’s plane has been used for deportations to several countries including Kenya and Liberia before these recent trips to Israel. Among those deported was Maher Awad, 24, originally from the West Bank. Awad, now in Michigan with a family, said, “They dropped us off like animals on the side of the road.” Dezer told the Guardian he wasn’t told who was on his plane or the flights’ purpose, only the dates it was used. He didn’t answer further questions about his jet’s role in deportations. Aviation sources estimate the flights cost ICE between $400,000 and $500,000. The US Department of Homeland Security did not answer questions but said, “If a judge finds an illegal alien has no right to be in this country, we are going to remove them. Period.”