TAKING ACTION (45 min)
September 6, 2025 |
Google Meet Session A |
Google Meet Session B
INTRODUCTION | REVIEW | TAKING ACTION | CLOSING
What we can do
Signs of Solidarity (15 min)
Joining the Avelo Airlines Pressure Campaign (15 min)
Our second option targets the pillar of corporate power—specifically, Avelo Airlines. Avelo is the first commercial airline to contract with ICE to run secret, unmarked deportation flights. These flights operate without transparency and with no guarantee of due process for the people on board—often without legal representation or even a hearing.
Avelo is betting its business on deportation flights. They’ve cut customer routes to make room for these ICE charters and take subsidies from cities and states to keep them running. If we organize and pressure them from every angle—at airports, through local governments, and directly as consumers—we can force them to drop this contract and make them a cautionary tale for every other airline.
There are lots of ways to take action depending on where you live and what communities your gathering is connected to. They're broken down here based on that relationship. And you can go to groundavelo.org for the airport map and all other resources to support the discussion and brainstorm.
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If you live near an airport with Avelo flights: Plan or join an airport protest. Pressure airport boards with calls, emails, and public comments to adopt noncooperation policies and refuse to work with deportation contractors.
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If you live in a city or state that subsidizes Avelo (Salem, OR; Volusia County, FL; Lakeland, FL; Salt Lake City, UT; or Delaware): Call and email your city council or state legislators to cut off those subsidies, and organize protests or attend meetings to speak out.
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If you’re part of a university community connected to Avelo (alumni, student, faculty, parent, grandparent with ties to Yale, the University of New Haven, Colorado State University, Quinnipiac University, or East Carolina • University): Push your school to end its partnership—send letters, organize petitions, and raise visibility on campus.
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Anywhere: Call or email Avelo’s leadership directly to demand they drop the ICE contract. Sign the traveler pledge - 'I won’t fly deportation airlines' - and share it on social media to help expose them.
Discuss and brainstorm as a group based on your connections to Avelo. In particular, if you are in one of the more target areas/pillars, you can spend more time on this call to action and brainstorm.
If you live near an Avelo airport:
- Which airport is it?
- When are peak travel times or known ICE flight windows we could target for protests?
- Who can help organize signs, flyers, or outreach to local media?
- What’s the first action date we can commit to? If you’re part of a university community connected to Avelo:
- Which university?
- Who can help circulate a petition or letter to leadership?
- Are there upcoming games, alumni weekends, or events where we could do a visibility action?
- Who can help coordinate social media targeting university accounts?
If you live in a locality or state that subsidizes Avelo:
- Which city/state government is it?
- When is the next council or legislative meeting where we could give public comment?
- Who can join an in-person protest or office visit?
- Who will commit to calling and emailing elected officials this week?
For everyone else:
- Who will sign and share the traveler pledge?
- Who can commit to calling and emailing Avelo leadership?
- How can we get creative with social media posts or graphics to spread the word?
- Who will help identify travel influencers or ethical travel blogs to connect with?
We’re going to make sure Avelo learns that doing ICE’s dirty work comes with a price. And when they back down, every other airline will think twice before taking that contract.