Avelo Airlines Targeted for Its Role in ICE Deportation Operations
On a recent Sunday morning, a significant group of individuals came together at Thurgood Marshall Airport, stationed between Baltimore and Washington, to communicate their dispute concerning the role of Avelo Airlines in deportation activities, a part of the United States Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. This widespread worry signals a demand for ample openness and responsibility.
The gathering was spearheaded by the entity called Indivisible, in collaboration with various locally-based groups. They walked united in their protest, underscoring the striking fact that Avelo Airlines maintains a hefty contract valued around $150 million with the U.S. federal authorities. The purpose of this contract is to facilitate airborne deportation on behalf of ICE, involving transport of detainees to distinct facilities located in different states.
Their united voices urged Governor Wes Moore to halt any commercial passenger operations made by Avelo Airlines from BWI-Marshall. Their concern stemmed from the fact that this airline plays a significant part in moving detainees for different reasons to other states, raising questions about its operations from the airport.
The objection of the protesters was directed towards the airline’s crucial role in uprooting individuals from one state and moving them to another. This crucial aspect prompted them to implore that the Governor intervene and terminate the operations from BWI-Marshall, thus halting the deportation functions of Avelo.
The response from the governor’s office indicated that they are not oblivious to these issues. They referenced multiple reports discussing health and safety-related concerns on board flights that are primarily used for deportation operations from diverse airports across the nation.
The governor’s office is engaged in an in-depth analysis of all routes of action to confirm that any deportation flights utilizing BWI premises are functioning in a manner that is not only safe but also abides by the law. They stated that this would enable them to ascertain that these operations are secure and legitimate.
The protesters leveled a strong accusation that, in the preceding month, a considerable 20% of all ICE Air operations were operated by Avelo. However, they emphasized the troubling lack of data detailing who the onboard passengers were, their places of destination and the reasons these individuals were being relocated in the first place.
These organizers, concerned citizens themselves, explained that their mass protest was part of a larger, national effort, referred by them as the ‘Ground Avelo’ campaign. This campaign appears to span across the entirety of the United States due to the widespread concern over the said activities.
Furthermore, these protesters proposed a multitude of courses through which the people of Maryland could support the state’s immigrants. They are bridging the gap by encouraging residents to play a proactive part in supporting the state’s immigrant population, offering various possibilities to collaborate intuitively.
Keeping their demands organized and structured, these united protesters assembled a staggering 4,000 signatures from supporters onto a request. Their objective with this petition is to voice their collective concern strongly and directly to the governor.
This petition, brimming with thousands of signatures, stands as solid evidence of the widespread disapproval surrounding ICE’s deportation operations and Avelo Airlines’ engagement in them. It is intended to exert pressure on government authorities to seriously reconsider the operations.
The broad support for this petition demonstrates a shared sense of unease among a considerable part of the population concerning Avelo Airlines’ involvement in deportation activities. By rallying this support, the organizers hope to make a concrete impact on the state’s policy and the airline’s role in deportations.
In conclusion, this protest and the ensuing action signify the mounting concern among people regarding deportation-related activities, transparency, and accountability. This collective action shows that the people of Maryland and beyond will continue to question and push back against practices they deem unjust or concerning.