Protestors lined the sides of Route 13 outside the Wilmington Airport Thursday for a honk and wave rally, encouraging residents to boycott Avelo Airlines.
The outrage follows an April 7 announcement by the airline — which is Delaware’s only commercial carrier — that it entered a charter agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) to carry out deportation flights.
Avelo CEO Andrew Levy said in a statement that he understands this is a “sensitive and complicated topic,” but he sees the charter agreement as a way to provide more financial stability to the low-budget airline.
The flights will be operated by three aircrafts out of Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona starting May 14 and will reportedly not bear the company’s logo.
Wilmington resident Judy Butler says she has no intention of using Avelo’s flights as long as the contract remains in place.
“We're shipping people to other countries and I think the whole point is to get them out from under our jurisdiction because I think those who are doing it realize that they are not observing our constitutional right to due process and the rights of these folks as well," Butler said.
She explains a majority of the protestors are with a local branch of Indivisible, a nationwide movement to fight against the Trump administration and its policies.
Wilmingtonian Nancy Hannigan says while she doesn’t want to drive Avelo out of town, she does believe its collaboration with the Trump administration is misguided.
“They're taking people who are here, are fully entitled to be here, and that's against our constitution. So I would like for Avelo to be on the right side of that equation, and I hope they do make a change in their decision," Hannigan said.
She explains she's not against legal deportations when due processed is followed, but she believes the current deportation tactics used by the Trump administration should be concerning to all Americans.
"I didn't come here from Mexico or Nicaragua, but if people who are here legally are sent to another country, it could happen to me. It could happen to my child. So I think we need to be thinking it's not "them," it's all of us who are under threat."
Backlash has ensued across the U.S. following the announcement, including a statement from the Association of Flight Attendants, urging the airline to reconsider.
A petition started by the New Haven Immigrants Coalition has received close to 35,000 signatures by individuals pledging to boycott the airline.
