Protests Intensify as Activists Demand avelo Airlines Cut Ties with ICE in Albany
albany, NY – A growing wave of protests is targeting Avelo Airlines, with activists in Albany County leading the charge to sever the airline’s contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Demonstrators argue the partnership prioritizes profit over human rights and are demanding Avelo cease all flights to and from Albany International Airport.
The protests, which have been ongoing for seven months, gained renewed momentum this week as organizers with Indivisible Albany highlighted what they see as a pattern of the airline responding to public pressure. “As of its association with ICE and the fact they are choosing bottom line over human dignity, we want them out of Albany County,” stated Marianna Achlaoug, an organizer with the group. Some protesters symbolically wore chains to represent the restrictions faced by individuals detained by ICE.
“What cost is it to your taxpayers, your pockets, versus human dignity and human process of law?” Achlaoug posed, questioning the financial benefit of the contract weighed against its ethical implications. Fellow activist Richard McGrath echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the core principles of the American legal system. “Our country is supposed to be based on the rule of law and fair treatment for everyone,” he said.
The focus on avelo’s operations in Albany comes after a shift in the airline’s route network. New York State Senator Pat Fahy noted in June that Avelo’s ICE-related flights where initially concentrated in Texas and Arizona. Since then, the airline has substantially scaled back its operations, withdrawing from the West Coast entirely and reducing service in states like Maine.
“As of right now, Avelo has left the West Coast, and they are rescinding flights from other states like Maine,” achlaoug pointed out, suggesting the airline is already facing resistance in other communities. “We have been doing this for 7 months. We are not going anywhere. why have you not budged?”
Avelo Airlines has acknowledged the right to peaceful protest, but maintains its intention to continue operating flights from Albany International Airport. currently, the airline offers service to charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, with two to four flights per week.
The protests underscore a growing national movement challenging companies that contract with ICE, as activists seek to disrupt the infrastructure supporting immigration detention and deportation policies. The situation in Albany remains fluid, with organizers vowing to continue their efforts until Avelo Airlines terminates its relationship with the agency.
Keywords: Avelo Airlines, ICE, Immigration, Protest, Albany, Albany County, Indivisible Albany, Immigration Detention, Human Rights, New York, Albany International Airport.
