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2w ago

Avelo Airlines Confirms ICE Deportation Flights Starting May 12

The airline's partnership with ICE will utilize three Boeing 737-800 aircraft, drawing criticism from local leaders and immigrant rights groups.

Guatemalan migrants deported from the United States walk on the tarmac after landing at the Air Force Base in Guatemala City in the first flight of deportees of the year on January 3, 2024. The US deported 55,000 Guatemalans between January and December 2023, a record that exceeds that of 2019, of 54,500, according to records of the General Directorate of Migration of Guatemala. (Photo by JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
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A Boeing 737 (737-800) jetliner, belonging to ultra low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines, lands at Harry Reid (formerly McCarren) International Airport in Las Vegas, Nv., on Feb. 16, 2022.
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Overview

  • Avelo Airlines has signed a long-term agreement with ICE to operate deportation flights beginning May 12, 2025, from Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona.
  • The flights will use three Boeing 737-800 planes and include both domestic and international routes to support federal deportation efforts.
  • Avelo CEO Andrew Levy stated the deal aims to stabilize the airline's operations, expand its passenger services, and preserve over 1,100 jobs.
  • The decision has faced backlash from local officials, including New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, and immigrant rights groups, who criticize the ethical implications.
  • Legal concerns have emerged, with a federal judge questioning whether the flights conflict with existing court orders and invoking rarely used historic laws.