ICE Flight Tracking Project Now Officially Housed at Human Rights First
Washington, D.C. — Human Rights First is proud to officially house an innovative initiative that monitors and analyzes U.S. immigration enforcement flights. The project was developed and led by retired financial executive and immigration advocate Tom Cartwright for nearly six years. Human Rights First will continue Tom’s critical work under a new name: the ICE Flight Monitor.
Between 2020 and 2025, Tom Cartwright tracked over 40,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) flights, providing an unprecedented window into the hidden operations of the U.S. immigration enforcement system.
Cartwright’s journey is both unlikely and inspiring: a financial executive who, in retirement, transformed into a leading expert on immigration enforcement flights. Driven by a profound commitment to justice and accountability, he applied his data and analytical expertise from the financial sector to expose the vast, opaque scale of ICE flights. His volunteer work has become an indispensable tool, informing litigation, shaping congressional oversight, and galvanizing public awareness around immigration enforcement practices.
“Tom Cartwright has demonstrated extraordinary innovation and dedication in building this initiative from the ground up, and we are honored to carry his work forward,” said Uzra Zeya, CEO and President of Human Rights First. “His work brings essential transparency to U.S. government actions impacting thousands of lives and stands as a powerful example of citizen-driven accountability in defense of human rights and democracy.”
“It’s been my honor and privilege to virtually accompany and acknowledge the dignity of nearly 800,000 people deported—and millions moved between detention centers—under ICE Air’s covert and opaque process. This work has always been about bringing transparency to a system designed to operate in the shadows. I am so thankful that the dedicated team at Human Rights First will not only continue this work but expand and elevate it to a higher level,” said Tom Cartwright.
At a time when communities across the country are being ripped apart by lawless ICE enforcement actions, people (including families) are being detained in inhumane conditions and deported without due process to an expanding list of countries, the ICE Flight Monitor provides accessible, reliable data — essential for accountability. By formally integrating the ICE Flight Monitor, Human Rights First strengthens its capacity to challenge abuses of power and uphold transparency as a cornerstone of democracy.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to immigrant rights and government accountability, Tom Cartwright will be honored at Human Rights First’s 2025 Annual Awards Celebration on October 14th in New York City.
