HARTFORD – Attorney General William Tong wants answers to several questions from Avelo Airlines after it was reported the airline has entered into a contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to transport deported immigrants.
In an April 8 letter to Avelo CEO Andrew Levy expressing his deep disappointment with the news, Tong asked a series of questions regarding the company’s decision. Avelo is a carrier that has flights out of Tweed New Haven and Bradley International airports.
“Violent criminals should be arrested, prosecuted, and where appropriate, deported,” the attorney general wrote. “But Trump’s cruel and reckless deportation program has unlawfully undermined legitimate law enforcement by ensnaring innocent parents, students, and children. And even when Trump’s own lawyers admit to errors, they claim no ability to right their wrongs.
“None of these abusive practices are required to secure our borders, promote public safety, or effectively enforce our immigration laws. These flights are cruel by design and enormously wasteful of taxpayer resources, and no business should be complicit.”
He added that no one is forcing Avelo to operate these flights and Avelo has freely chosen to profit from and facilitate these “atrocities.”
“The State of Connecticut has an obligation now to review this business decision and to consider the viability of our choice to support Avelo,” Tong stated in the letter.
The letter seeks answers from Avelo management to the following questions no later than April 15, 2025:
- Please provide a copy of Avelo’s contract that relates to its work for Department of Homeland Security, or its agent, contractor or subcontractor.
- Can Avelo confirm that it will not operate deportation flights from any Connecticut airport?
- Can Avelo confirm that it will never operate flights while non-violent passengers are in shackles, handcuffs, waist chains and/or leg irons and unable to safely evacuate in the event of an emergency?
- Should restraint be necessary for a specific individual to protect public safety, can Avelo confirm that it will never operate a flight without a safe and timely evacuation strategy for all passengers?
- Can Avelo confirm it will never operate flights with shackled children?
- On Saturday, March 15, a federal judge ordered the immediate return of a deportation flight destined for El Salvador operated by GlobalX. The Trump Administration refused to comply. Can Avelo confirm that it will never operate deportation flights in defiance of such court orders?
- Can Avelo confirm it will never operate a deportation flight involving passengers for whom there is no valid order of removal?
- Can Avelo confirm that it will never operate a flight to deport a child born on American soil?
The New Haven Immigrants Coalition is calling for the state to revoke Avelo’s two-year fuel tax moratorium to expand its operations at Bradley and Tweed airports. On June 30, six weeks after Avelo starts ICE flights, the free pass on Avelo’s fuel tax bill in Connecticut expires. The coalition has started an online petition on change.org that calls for a boycott of all Avelo Airlines flights until the airlines stops providing flights for immigrants deported by Immigration Control and Enforcement (ICE). So far 24,421 people have signed the petition as of 9:30 a.m. on April 10.
