OUTRAGE ERUPTS AS AVELO AIRLINES ANNOUNCES START OF CONTROVERSIAL ICE DEPORTATION FLIGHTS

Photo by: Avelo Airlines

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Supporters of the immigrant community expressed shock this week after Avelo Airlines announced Monday that it will partner with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deport undocumented residents.

The announcement prompted swift backlash from immigrant rights groups, including Unidad Latina en Acción, Shoreline United, and the Revolutionary Communists of America, which organized a protest Tuesday in New Haven and called on the public to boycott the airline.

“Fuck this complicit company and the masterminds behind the deportations!”, said Unidad Latina en Action on their social media pages.

Avelo confirmed it has signed a contract with the Department of Homeland Security to operate ICE charter flights beginning May 12. The flights will depart from Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona. The airline plans to base three Boeing 737-800 planes at the airport.

Avelo, a low-cost carrier, currently serves both Tweed New Haven Regional Airport and Bradley International Airport, its largest operational base. As of now, there are no indications the charter flights will operate out of either Connecticut airport.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong sent a letter to Avelo expressing concern about the airline’s agreement with DHS. He demanded answers from the company, including a copy of the contract and clarification on whether any deportation flights would originate from Connecticut airports.

“No one is forcing Avelo to operate these flights. If reporting is accurate, Avelo has freely chosen to profit from and facilitate these atrocities. The State of Connecticut has an obligation now to review this business decision and to consider the viability of our choice to support Avelo. “

Among the list of questions, Tong asks to; “provide a copy of Avelo’s contract that relates to its work for Department of Homeland Security, or its agent, contractor or subcontractor," and to; “confirm that it will not operate deportation flights from any Connecticut airport?”.

Activists also criticized the airline for taking advantage of a two-year state fuel tax moratorium, which exempts airlines from paying fuel taxes, while expanding its operations at Tweed and Bradley airports. The moratorium is set to expire on June 30, 2025. Activists are now urging state lawmakers not to extend what they describe as an indirect subsidy benefiting Avelo.

On Wednesday, advocates rallied behind legislation to strengthen protections for undocumented residents in Connecticut. The proposed reforms aim to; prohibit local police from detaining individuals solely on immigration detainers without a judicial warrant, expand protections to all public agencies, prevent the sharing of personal information for immigration enforcement, limit ICE presence in courthouses, enforce the TRUST Act, and restrict government contracts with companies involved in detention or deportation.

Tabitha Sookdeo, Executive Director of CT Students for a Dream said, “Today, we are witnessing deeply troubling developments at the federal level, including the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act: the same law that enabled the internment of Japanese, German, and Italian immigrants in one of the darkest chapters of our nation’s history. Connecticut has a critical opportunity to push back against chaos and community disruption.”

An online petition calling for a boycott of Avelo until it ceases deportation flights has gained momentum. As of Thursday, April 10, the petition had garnered more than 26,000 signatures.

Avelo Airlines Founder and CEO Andrew Levy released a statement addressing the backlash, saying in part, "We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic. Charter flying will provide us with stability to continue expanding our core scheduled passenger service and keep more than 1,100 crew members employed for years to come.”

Separately, on Monday, Republican state Sens. Rob Sampson, Eric Berthel, and Stephen Harding issued a statement supporting the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow the removal of Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang members under the Alien Enemies Act.

“This notorious Venezuelan super gang has spread its criminal tentacles into Stamford, CT,” the statement read. “Anyone downplaying the impact of the national illegal immigration crisis on life here in CT is ignoring reality.”


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