Kent County Airport Board Authority statement essentially normalizes human rights violations

Last week I reported on the action that GR Rapid Response to ICE did at the Kent County Airport to inform and dramatize the impact of the Avelo Airlines contract with ICE.

As a follow up to that June 21st action, GR Rapid Response to ICE invited people to attend the Kent County Airport Authority’s monthly board meeting and to pressure the board members to demand that Avelo Airlines end its contact with ICE. Both WOODTV8 and WZZM 13 reported on that meeting, which included comments from several people who want to see Avelo Airlines either be removed from operating at the Kent County Airport or end their contract with ICE.

The Kent County Airport Authority Board did not respond directly to the issues about Avelo Airlines that people raised during their monthly board meeting, but has since released the following statement:

“The airport is required by federal law to allow all airlines to use our gates as long as they comply with FAA rules and regulations and remain in good financial standing. To do otherwise would unfairly discriminate against an airline, which could jeopardize our FAA funding.”

The Kent County Airport Authority statement reveals several things. First, the Kent County Airport Authority is making it clear that even if private airlines have contracts with ICE, contracts that allows them to transport undocumented immigrants to El Salvador with little hope of justice, that this is NOT a violation of the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA). Indeed, having a contract to do harm to immigrants does not violate FAA rules and regulations, which means the FAA rules and regulations normalizes human rights abuses.

Second, the Kent County Airport Authority statement makes it clear that apart from not violating FAA rules and regulations, as long as Avelo Airlines remains “in good financial standing”, they can continue to profit off of human rights abuses. This is exactly why GR Rapid Response to ICE, along with a national movement, is calling for a Boycott of Avelo Airlines, which could impact the financial standing of the airline company. In the toolkit that groups across the country are using to confront Avelo Airlines it states:

If we put pressure on Avelo – “Abduction Air” – management through targeted escalating actions that threaten the company’s reputation and already shaky financial situation, they will be forced to discontinue their DHS contract to avoid insolvency and become an example for other bad actors who provide deportation logistics. 

We will do this by strategically influencing different financial levers of Avelo airlines and uplifting competitors who haven’t decided to make the decision to profit off of deportations. Making a clear example of Avelo on what can happen to airlines who participate in deportation logistics will help us ensure that no commercial airline decides to gamble with people’s lives.

This is why a boycott of Avelo Airlines is the most effective strategy at this point, especially since the Federal Aviation Authority condones airlines that have contracts with ICE or any other US government entity that violates human rights. 

A few additional talking points are:

• Avelo Airlines says the contract with ICE is necessary for its bottomline, which makes them vulnerable to a Boycott.
• Avelo has cancelled and shifted flight plans before of financial issues – it is clearly struggling with solvency.
• To manage the intake of ICE flights, the company announced it would draw down some scheduled flights in order to operate deportation flights – which it plans to fly on unmarked planes.
• Avelo is trying to raise $100M to expand their operations and is actively trying to hire staff to staff these flights.

Clearly, Avelo Airlines is vulnerable to a Boycott. Use the toolkit, inform people how we won’t tolerate profits over people, and that we can win the battle by targeting Avelo Airlines with a Boycott! Lastly, you can follow https://www.stopavelo.org/ for additional information on the national campaign against Avelo Airlines and follow GR Rapid Response to ICE about other actions regarding Avelo Airlines.