EUGENE, Ore. — A group of protesters gathered outside the federal building in downtown Eugene on [date] to voice their opposition to Avelo Airlines’ contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to operate deportation flights.
Since signing the contract in April, Avelo Airlines has been providing planes for ICE deportations, with flights arriving and departing from Eugene Airport three times a week. This has sparked outrage among community members who say the airline’s involvement contradicts the values of Eugene and Lane County.
Rob Fisett, an organizer of the protests, described the demonstration as the beginning of a summer-long campaign aimed at boycotting Avelo Airlines in Eugene. “We think our community doesn’t approve of these deportation flights, so we organized this space for people to come out, get together, kick off a boycott, and start raising awareness about Avelo Airlines’ role in deportations,” Fisett said.
Protesters gathered outside the federal building to make their voices heard. Lisa Livelybrooks, a local resident who joined the demonstration, expressed her disapproval: “I’m here to join with the rest of the community, protesting the fact that Avelo Airlines has contracted with ICE to carry deportees out of the country.”
Another protester, Michele Fleury, emphasized that the airline’s contract with ICE clashes with the community’s values. “It goes against what Eugene values here in Lane County,” Fleury said. “And the airport has no business being in Eugene.”
In response to the controversy, Avelo CEO Andrew Levy released a statement in April acknowledging the sensitivity of the topic. He said, “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 crew members employed for years to come.” Levy also noted that the partnership with ICE is not politically motivated and that the airline has facilitated deportation flights under the previous Biden administration as well.
Protest organizers are planning to make public comments at the Eugene Airport advisory meeting scheduled for June 18 to continue voicing their opposition and to advocate for Avelo Airlines to either end its contract with ICE or cease operations at Eugene Airport.
