Key Takeaways
• Avelo Airlines began deportation flights from Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona, on May 12, 2025, using Boeing 737-800s.
• Partnership with DHS provides financial stability for Avelo, ensuring jobs for over 1,100 employees despite controversy.
• Community leaders and advocates have called for boycotts and protests against Avelo’s involvement in DHS deportation operations.
Deportation Flights Begin Out of Arizona: Avelo Airlines Partners with DHS at Mesa Gateway Airport
A new chapter in the United States 🇺🇸 immigration enforcement process started on May 12, 2025, as Avelo Airlines, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, launched deportation flights out of Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona 🇺🇸. This operation is part of a long-term charter agreement and has already sparked strong reactions from community leaders, local residents, and immigration advocates across the country. As reported by VisaVerge.com, the airline’s role in these flights has raised important questions about the responsibilities of private companies within public immigration enforcement activities, the impact on communities, and what this move means for the broader immigration debate.
Understanding the New Deportation Flights
The start of these flights marks the official beginning of Avelo Airlines’ work with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to support deportation efforts. Under the deal, Avelo will use three Boeing 737-800 planes, which will be based at Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona 🇺🇸. These aircraft will be used for both domestic and international deportation flights.
Mesa Gateway Airport was chosen as the base for these flights due to its location and the needs identified by DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This partnership is expected to be long-term, showing the government’s commitment to continue these operations over several years. The arrangement was first confirmed by Avelo Airlines in April 2025, when the company announced details about the contract.
Avelo Airlines and CEO’s Statement
Avelo Airlines is a budget airline with its main hub at Tweed New Haven Airport in Connecticut 🇺🇸. The company has always focused on offering affordable flights while growing its network in the U.S. However, this recent move represents a new direction—one that goes beyond transporting regular passengers.
Andrew Levy, Founder and CEO of Avelo Airlines, acknowledged how sensitive and complicated this decision is. In a statement, Levy explained, “We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic. After 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 Crewmembers employed for years to come.” Here, Levy pointed out that the new charter flights would provide financial security for the airline and protect jobs, suggesting that stability for the company depends partly on contracts like these.
Background: Deportation Operations Involving Private Airlines
For years, U.S. immigration authorities have depended on both commercial airlines and specially chartered flights to carry out deportations. ICE Air Operations (IAO), which is the main air transport arm of ICE, arranges these flights from several locations, including Arizona 🇺🇸, Texas 🇺🇸, Louisiana 🇺🇸, and Florida 🇺🇸. IAO is responsible for organizing how people are transferred and removed from the U.S. through both domestic trips to other facilities and international flights for deportation.
These flights are not new, but what is different about this current news is that Avelo Airlines—a brand known for low-cost passenger service—is now directly involved as a key contractor. This arrangement brings fresh attention to the connection between private companies and immigration enforcement, especially at a time when immigration remains a heated topic in the United States 🇺🇸.
Community Reaction and Protests
The decision by Avelo Airlines to join these deportation flights has led to strong and emotional reactions, especially in cities where the airline operates and in communities invested in immigrant rights.
- The New Haven Immigrant Coalition has started an online petition calling for a boycott of Avelo Airlines. Their protests focus on the belief that private businesses should not help with deportation actions, which often split up families and could put people in danger if sent back to their home countries.
- New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker showed his disappointment, calling Avelo’s involvement “deeply disappointing and disturbing” and saying it goes against the values held by the city of New Haven. The mayor’s comments were widely shared and reflected by those in his community.
- In Salem, protests have also occurred against Avelo’s agreement with the Department of Homeland Security. Here, local residents argued that such contracts invite public companies to be part of what they see as unfair or harsh government actions.
These voices show that many people, especially in communities with large numbers of immigrants, see the airline’s role as more than just a business deal. To them, it represents a shift in how private companies are connected to federal immigration policy.
Details of the DHS and ICE Operations
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security oversees immigration enforcement, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the agency carrying out most of the hands-on work, including deportations.
ICE Air Operations (IAO) is the part of ICE responsible for all air transports. Their main jobs include:
- Moving people between ICE detention centers (domestic flights)
- Carrying out deportations to other countries (international flights)
- Working closely with field offices and organizing schedules to make sure flights happen on time
For these operations, IAO uses a mix of commercial airlines (when possible and legal) and special charter flights. With the start of the partnership between DHS and Avelo Airlines, Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona 🇺🇸 is now a key location for flight departures.
Mesa Gateway Airport: The Hub for the New Flights
Mesa Gateway Airport, just outside Phoenix in the state of Arizona 🇺🇸, has seen a steady increase in use over the past decade. It was chosen for this operation because it fits both the logistical and security needs as defined by the Department of Homeland Security. The airport has the facilities needed for handling deportation flights, and its location makes it practical for flying to several countries and for coordination with local law enforcement.
With Avelo Airlines basing three Boeing 737-800 planes there, Mesa Gateway Airport is now a central spot for these flights. This may mean more activity at the airport, not just from regular flights but also from charter operations connected directly to immigration enforcement.
Economic and Job Impacts
From a business point of view, Avelo Airlines has openly stated that agreeing to this charter program helps support its bottom line. By taking on the DHS contract, the airline says it adds a steady revenue stream, allowing it to keep expanding its main passenger routes and to avoid layoffs among its 1,100 employees.
In the airline industry, contracts with the federal government—like this one—can make a big difference. It often means regular work and payment, even when the regular travel market faces slowdowns or uncertainty. This stability is important for workers, who are trying to keep their jobs in a changing industry.
However, for workers who are immigrants themselves, or who may share the concerns of protesting communities, the connection to deportation flights can also raise difficult moral questions. This tension highlights the complicated role that airlines can play when they work closely with government agencies.
Political and Social Impacts
The start of these flights comes in the middle of a national debate in the United States 🇺🇸 about immigration laws and enforcement. Some see strict immigration controls—including deportations—as necessary for national security. Others argue that mass deportations break up families, place people at risk, and go against America’s long history of welcoming newcomers.
Bringing Avelo Airlines into this space deepens the debate. It raises questions about how much private companies should help with government actions that many find controversial or troubling.
- Some politicians and leaders, especially in places like New Haven and Salem, are already calling for public pressure on the company. They hope to force Avelo Airlines to reconsider or even cancel the agreement.
- At the same time, supporters of more strict immigration enforcement see the move as a sign that DHS is strengthening its ability to carry out laws as written, using all tools available.
Because this operation focuses on deportation—one of the most publicly debated parts of immigration policy—it is likely to remain a focus point in discussions about both business ethics and government policy.
Overview of ICE Air Operations (IAO)
ICE Air Operations is responsible for the transfer and removal of people held in detention. It does this work at the request of ICE field offices and Department of Homeland Security as part of carrying out the nation’s immigration laws. According to the ICE website, IAO organizes and manages these air transfers using both commercial flights and chartered planes. The aircraft are prepared and staged at airports in states like Arizona 🇺🇸, Texas 🇺🇸, Louisiana 🇺🇸, and Florida 🇺🇸.
If you’d like to learn more about how ICE carries out removals and transfers, you can visit the official ICE Air Operations page for up-to-date, reliable information about its procedures and scope.
Why the Decision Matters for Travelers
For regular travelers who fly with Avelo Airlines, the news may have brought up concerns about what the airline’s new charter work will mean for their own flights. According to statements from Avelo, business will go on as usual for its regular passengers. The addition of the charter contract is, in the company’s view, a way to help support and grow passenger flight options, not take away from them.
However, the airline does recognize that some travelers may choose not to fly with Avelo because of its role in these deportation flights, especially if they strongly oppose the company’s connection to immigration enforcement.
What Comes Next for Stakeholders
- For Avelo Airlines employees, the future appears more certain in terms of job security, but some may face tough questions from their communities or families about the work their company is connected to.
- Community organizations are expected to keep up efforts urging Avelo to end its contract with the Department of Homeland Security. This may include more calls for boycotts or public awareness actions.
- The Department of Homeland Security, along with ICE, will likely keep expanding or renewing private airline contracts based on operational needs, making the involvement of commercial airlines a regular part of deportation programs.
- Passengers and community members will continue to weigh their values and decide if and how they want to respond, either by supporting community actions or making personal choices about which companies to support.
Broader Takeaways and Ongoing Debate
This situation is a clear example of how immigration enforcement in the United States 🇺🇸 reaches far beyond just government agencies. The involvement of private businesses like Avelo Airlines shows how deeply connected the private and public sectors are when it comes to carrying out national policies.
As the program continues, both supporters and critics are likely to keep their focus on Mesa Gateway Airport, Avelo Airlines, and the Department of Homeland Security. This case will likely shape how other airlines and airports think about joining similar agreements in the future and how communities organize in response.
Conclusion: What This Means for the Future
The start of deportation flights out of Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona 🇺🇸, managed by Avelo Airlines in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, is not just another routine charter deal. It is a move with real effects for immigrant communities, workers, airline passengers, and the local areas around Mesa Gateway Airport. The strong reactions—from protests in New Haven and Salem to public statements by community leaders and calls for boycotts—show that this issue is about more than just airline schedules.
In the months ahead, the story will keep developing. Community groups will likely push for policy changes, while Avelo Airlines and the Department of Homeland Security will focus on fulfilling their contract. What happens next will depend on further public pressure, government needs, and how private companies respond to their own workers, customers, and the broader debate over immigration in America.
To keep up to date with changes in ICE Air Operations, removal flights, or the role of airlines in such government programs, readers can check out the ICE Air Operations official page for ongoing updates and further details about current immigration removal efforts.
Learn Today
Deportation Flights → Flights organized to remove individuals from the U.S. to other countries as part of immigration enforcement.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) → A U.S. government agency overseeing immigration enforcement and the nation’s security operations, including deportations.
ICE Air Operations (IAO) → The division of ICE managing and operating air transportation for detainee transfers and deportations.
Charter Agreement → A contract where an airline provides aircraft and crew for specific operations, separate from regular commercial flights.
Mesa Gateway Airport → An airport near Phoenix, Arizona, now a major hub for U.S. deportation flight operations with Avelo Airlines.
This Article in a Nutshell
Avelo Airlines launched DHS deportation flights from Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona, starting May 12, 2025. Three Boeing 737-800 aircraft now operate under a long-term charter. This controversial partnership provides economic stability for Avelo, sparking protests, debate on private company roles, and new scrutiny of airline involvement in immigration enforcement.
— By VisaVerge.com
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