Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has issued a second warning within the month to Avelo Airlines, indicating that the airline’s involvement in deportation flights for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could risk the tax breaks and local support it receives. Concurrently, Connecticut Democrats are working to amend the state’s sanctuary law to penalize companies collaborating with federal immigration authorities, such as Avelo.
The dispute arose after Avelo, a Texas-based airline, entered into an agreement to allocate three of its 20 aircraft to ICE Air, a charter network facilitating deportation flights. ProPublica’s report, which Attorney General Tong referenced on April 8, highlighted concerns from flight attendants about the treatment and safety of detainees during such flights, including issues with evacuating shackled passengers.
Tong questioned Avelo’s operational practices in a letter, asking whether the airline could ensure passengers would not be shackled and whether it had safe evacuation strategies. A public statement reiterating these concerns was issued on April 15 by Tong.
Images capturing detainees in shackles during previous Avelo charters for ICE were shared by a flight attendant. In communication with Avelo staff, CEO Andrew Levy described the deportation flight contract as financially beneficial amidst financial losses and reduced travel demand, necessitating operational changes including route adjustments and closing one base.
Avelo has significant operations in Connecticut, having recently expanded to Bradley International Airport near Hartford, supported by a two-year fuel-tax moratorium granted in 2023. During a recent rally at New Haven airport, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal emphasized the need for Avelo to reconsider its decision regarding ICE flights.
Public disapproval is growing, as demonstrated by an online petition gathering nearly 35,000 signatures calling for an Avelo boycott unless the ICE contract is dropped, and protests have been organized across various U.S. cities serviced by the airline.
Attorney General Tong has requested a copy of Avelo’s contract with ICE, also inquiring about compliance regarding court orders, related to an incident involving GlobalX carrying out deportations in defiance of a federal judge’s directive. Levy responded to Tong by suggesting a public records request for further contract details and redirected questions about shackles and evacuation protocols to the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Aviation Administration.
An Avelo spokesperson stated that the airline adheres to federal protocols and upholds public safety and the rule of law. A bill to expand Connecticut’s sanctuary law has been approved by the House Judiciary Committee, moving towards a full legislative vote, potentially prohibiting companies from cooperating with federal immigration authorities.
Avelo’s fuel-tax exemption is set to expire on June 30, with no current legislative plans to renew it, amid calls from activists for state lawmakers to allow it to expire.