Avelo’s Deportation Flights out of Mesa and the City’s 287(g) Agreement with ICE Are Destroying Communities
It's time for the City of Mesa to stop cooperating with Trump's cruel mass deportation agenda.
Mesa is currently one of the only cities in the state of Arizona to have a 287(g) agreement between the Police Department and ICE.
This agreement essentially turns local law enforcement into ICE agents. These agreements are notorious for encouraging racial profiling, undermining public safety, and leading to expensive lawsuits for local governments -- risks that are even greater under Trump. Police collaboration with ICE is wasteful taxpayer spending that hurts the local economy and does nothing for hard-working Mesa residents.
Avelo Airlines is a small Houston-based airline that used to fly casino charters; it rebranded in 2021 as a low-cost commercial carrier and now flies out of ~50 US airports and 4 international tourist destinations.
In April 2025, Avelo signed a $150 million contract to fly ICE deportation flights out of the Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona.
Americans broadly support human rights and a path to citizenship for immigrants - it’s well past time that the City of Mesa listens to the people and stops allowing corporate human trafficking under their watch.
Upcoming Actions
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Join us every week for a breakdown of previous actions around Mesa, analysis of their effectiveness, and next steps for escalating pressure against Avelo and their human trafficking from Mesa!
Send an email to phxazdsa@gmail.com if you would like to join.
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(To be announced)
Travelers flying into and out of Mesa Gateway Airport need to know that Avelo Airlines is contributing to human rights violations by continuing to fly deportation flights that separate families and deprive lawful residents of due process. Join us for the next protest - we’ll bring the signs!