In a surprising move earlier this month, Avelo Airlines decided to halt its involvement in deportation flights for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This decision follows a period of heightened scrutiny since the budget airline entered into a contract with the federal agency last spring.
Remarkably, Avelo was unique among ICE subcontractors in that it also offered commercial flights to the general public. For years, ICE has relied on various companies to enhance its deportation operations, utilizing both military aircraft and commercial carriers. The advocacy organization Human Rights First has been monitoring ICE’s partnerships with these contractors over the past several months.
According to their most recent report, Avelo was responsible for nearly 20% of ICE flights from May to December, totaling over 1,900 flights. Most of these were domestic transfers between detention centers, primarily departing from Mesa Gateway Airport. Additionally, some flights were deportations to countries such as Mexico and Honduras.
The report indicates that Avelo began reducing its ICE flight operations in November, a few months before it announced the closure of its Arizona base dedicated to this work, effective January 28. An Avelo spokesperson informed KJZZ that the contract failed to consistently generate enough revenue to offset operational expenses.
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