Avelo Airlines faces nationwide protests over its $150 million ICE deportation flight contract as activist groups demand the company choose between profits and principles.
At a Glance
- Approximately 30 protesters gathered at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport as part of nationwide demonstrations against Avelo Airlines’ ICE contract
- The airline has secured a $150 million contract with the Department of Homeland Security for deportation flights
- A petition calling for a boycott of Avelo Airlines has gathered over 28,000 signatures
- Protests occurred in around 30 cities where Avelo operates, organized by local and state activist groups
- Avelo defends the contract as necessary for financial stability and continued service expansion
Nationwide Coalition Takes Aim at Avelo
Activists across America have launched coordinated protests against Avelo Airlines over the carrier’s involvement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation operations. The demonstrations, which took place in approximately 30 cities where Avelo operates, were organized by various activist groups including the Democratic Women’s Club of Sarasota County, Indivisible Manatee, and the Florida Valkyries. At Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, roughly 30 protesters gathered to voice opposition to what they describe as the airline’s complicity in immigration enforcement.
The protesters are specifically targeting Avelo’s contract with the Department of Homeland Security, valued at approximately $150 million. This arrangement positions the relatively small airline as a significant transportation provider for ICE deportation flights. The self-styled “Coalition to Stop Avelo” has successfully gathered momentum, with demonstrators appearing simultaneously at airports across multiple states where the airline maintains operations.
Economic Pressure Campaign
Beyond street demonstrations, the coalition has implemented an economic pressure strategy against the airline. A petition calling for a boycott of Avelo Airlines has gathered significant traction, attracting over 28,000 signatures. The petition directly challenges consumers to reconsider their travel choices and avoid booking with the carrier while it maintains its ICE contract. This represents a traditional activist approach of targeting a company’s revenue streams to achieve policy changes.
“We definitely want to reinstate due process. We’d like ICE to be more transparent with what they’re doing, how they’re collecting people, where they’re sending them,” said Bryson Holtzer.
For Sarasota and Manatee County residents, Avelo’s operations are limited but notable. The airline currently operates two nonstop routes from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) to New Haven, Connecticut, and Wilmington, Delaware. The demonstrators aim to disrupt these services through public pressure and consumer boycotts until the airline terminates its involvement with ICE deportation activities.
Avelo’s Defense of Contract
For its part, Avelo Airlines has defended the controversial contract as a financial necessity. The airline industry continues to face significant economic challenges in the post-pandemic market, with smaller carriers particularly vulnerable to competitive pressures and rising operational costs. Avelo has characterized the ICE contract as providing critical financial stability that enables the company to maintain its workforce and expand service routes.
“We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic. After significant deliberations, we determined this charter flying will provide us with the stability to continue expanding our core scheduled passenger service and keep our more than 1,100 Crewmembers employed for years to come,” said Andrew Levy.
Despite this justification, protesters remain adamant that the economic benefits do not outweigh what they perceive as moral and constitutional concerns. Demonstrators have specifically emphasized issues of due process rights for detainees being transported on Avelo flights. The protesters indicate they will continue their campaign until either Avelo cancels its contract with ICE or faces sufficient economic pressure to reconsider its business model entirely.
Broader Context of Corporate Immigration Enforcement
The protests against Avelo represent just one facet of ongoing national debates regarding private sector participation in immigration enforcement. Other transportation companies and detention facility operators have faced similar activism in recent years. For the protesters, the campaign against Avelo exemplifies their broader opposition to what they characterize as the commercialization of immigration enforcement, where private companies derive profits from government contracts related to deportation activities.
With demonstrations continuing to spread to additional locations and the online petition gaining signatures, Avelo now faces a significant public relations challenge alongside potential business impacts. The company must navigate between maintaining its government contract and addressing the growing activist pressure that threatens its consumer-facing business. The outcome of this confrontation may influence how other companies approach similar government contracts in the immigration enforcement sector.
