Move comes after company signed agreement to support Department of Homeland Security\u2019s deportation efforts<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several thousand people have signed a petition urging Avelo Airlines to halt its plans to carry out deportation flights in cooperation with the Trump administration<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This comes as the budget airline company recently said it had signed an agreement<\/a> to fly federal deportation flights for the administration from Mesa, Arizona, starting in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Andrew Levy, the CEO of the Houston, Texas-based airline, said in a statement to the Associated Press<\/a> that the company is flying for the US Department of Homeland Security\u2019s Immigration Customs and Enforcement (Ice) agency as part of a \u201clong-term charter program\u201d to support the department\u2019s deportation efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The flights, the company said, will use three Boeing 737-800 aircraft based out of Mesa Gateway airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic,\u201d Levy said in a statement to 12News KPNX<\/a> in Arizona. \u201cAfter 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 crew members employed for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recent job postings from the airline<\/a> appear to advertise positions based in Mesa, Arizona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In one job listing for flight attendants<\/a>, Avelo states that the \u201cflights will be both domestic and international trips to support DHS\u2019s deportation efforts\u201d and that \u201cOur DHS charter service may consist of local day trips and\/or overnights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A petition<\/a> was launched by the New Haven Immigrant Heritage Coalition and as of Tuesday afternoon, it has garnered about 4,200 signatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe pledge to boycott the airline until they stop plans to profit off Ice flights that are tearing families and communities apart,\u201d the petition reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Individuals, including the mayor of New Haven, Connecticut \u2013 where Avelo Airlines said in December it has its largest base<\/a> \u2013 have criticized the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n