Budget carrier Avelo Airlines began deportation flights from Arizona on Monday as part of a new partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, using three Boeing 737-800s departing from Mesa Gateway Airport near Phoenix.
Avelo CEO Andrew Levy said the DHS contract provides operational stability and supports jobs for roughly 1,100 crew members, while also helping grow the airline’s core passenger business.
However, the move has triggered sharp criticism from labor and immigrant rights groups. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA warned the flights jeopardize safety by carrying passengers in restraints. “We cannot do our jobs in these conditions,” the union said in an April statement.
The New Haven Immigrants Coalition launched a petition opposing the flights, which has garnered over 30,000 signatures.
DHS pushed back, saying critics were using the contract to “abolish ICE by proxy.” The agency defended its enforcement role and claimed assaults on ICE officers have surged 413%.
ICE maintains that deportees are individuals who have violated U.S. laws and pose risks to public safety.
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