Avelo Airlines & ICE Air: A Model for Resistance
Could this be a model for resistance against other companies that contract to do unlawful or immoral deeds on behalf of the regime?
This is a story of how a local protest at a small Connecticut airport against Avelo Airlines’ participation in “ICE Air” grew into a nationwide everything, everywhere all at once fight.
A fight that includes a union, a state attorney general, state and federal lawmakers, citizen surveillance, a billboard company, immigrant groups, lawsuits and, of course, dedicated outraged citizens who relentlessly show up each week.
Background on ICE Air
Most deportation flights of immigrants aren’t conducted by the U.S. government; they are carried out by contractors. Collectively known as “ICE Air.”
ICE Air is nothing new. But what is new is immigrants being denied their constitutional right to due process, renditions to foreign prisons, and a White House ignoring court orders. By choosing to cash in on a lucrative federal contract, Avelo is now seen as an accomplice.
Avelo Hits Turbulence Over Connecticut
In early April, Avelo became the first commercial passenger airline to contract with ICE Air to transport detainees, including on overseas “removal flights.” New Haven’s Tweed Airport serves as a regional hub for Avelo, a small budget airline that flies to over 50 other destinations.
The company soon hit rough air with the state of Connecticut. Attorney General William Tong read a disturbing ProPublica story in which flight attendants for other ICE Air contractors gave hair-raising accounts of the treatment of detainees. They also cited safety concerns for detainees, shackled wrists to ankles, and unable to evacuate in case of emergency.
The Association of Flight Attendant union (AFA-CWA) board of directors weighed in, issuing a sweeping public resolution on immigrants’ rights.
Meanwhile, state Democratic lawmakers became involved and a fuel-tax rebate, initially an incentive for Avelo to operate out of Connecticut, is being allowed to expire. The airline is not currently operating removal flights from Connecticut but is cagey about future plans.
U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) jointly wrote Avelo in mid-May seeking more transparency.
The airline’s relationship with the state of Connecticut remains, well, icey.
Protests and Boycott Spread, Billboards Go Up and Parties Lawyer Up
Protests have become a regular occurrence at New Haven’s Tweed Airport. And a nationwide boycott is being championed by the New Haven Immigrants Coalition.
Meanwhile, a New Hampshire State Representative named Seth Miller contracted with Lamar Advertising for three billboards near Tweed. In addition to being a lawmaker, Miller is an aviation journalist who has described his opposition as “personal.”
The first two billboards went up on May 5. Days later he and Lamar received a cease-and-desist order from Avelo due to alleged trademark violation. Miller promptly counter-sued on the basis of free speech.
Citizen Surveillance of ICE Air, Avelo Goes Stealth and Opposition Explodes
A citizen who goes by “JJ in DC” with close to 19,000 online followers has been skillfully tracking ICE Air flights including Avelo. He uses remote cameras near airports, tracks individual aircraft by tail numbers and has a signature emoji of two watchful eyeballs.
In late May, JJ spotted all three of the 737s used by Avelo for deportation flights, which they painted chalk white. Their attempt to go stealth, an indicator of the reputational damage they face, was foiled by “tailtell” numbers, that is the unique tail number displayed on each aircraft.
Also in late May, the “Coalition to Stop Avelo” ramped up with protest events in 26 different cities for its first “National Day of Action.”
Headwinds
What sprang up spontaneously two months ago as a local protest of Avelo Airlines has evolved into an organized national coalition with a clear strategic plan (stopavelo.org).
And the plan the Coalition has laid out hangs over the airline like a giant thunderhead. Cancel your contract with ICE or face widespread turbulence including:
Nationwide Boycotts & Protests: At all 54 airports they serve
Policy Action: To cut off all public subsidies to the airline
Regulatory Pressure: Push to revoke licenses & airport access where their actions break local laws
Labor Union Engagement: Encourage union opposition
Investor Accountability: Target investors like Jefferies Investment Bank to pull out
Board Accountability: Highlight board members’ hypocrisy in “serving Latino communities”
One hopes the relentless campaign to get Avelo to fly right will act as a deterrent to any other would-be Air ICE contractors.
And, more broadly a model for taking on other corporate accomplices!
Meanwhile, several new billboards are scheduled to go up near New Haven’s Tweed Airport in the next few days.
Photo Credits:
#1 Bobbi Blake, #2 Bobbi Blake, #3 portal.ct.gov, #4 Robin Gilmartin, #5 Robin Gilmartin, #6 Seth Miller, #7 JJ in DC, #8 JJ in DC, #9 stopavelo.org, #10 Seth Miller
People use Avelo for convenience and price. But there is another airline, Breeze, that goes out of Tweed that could be encouraged to step up services to be an alternative to Avelo. Or, to also support the people in East Haven who have been impacted by the grossly increased air traffic and pollution in general from Tweed, fly of Bradley. Be inconvenienced and pay a little more for justice!
Well done Robin! New Haven was included in Rachel Maddow’s program last night as well as other protests around the country.