Avelo Airlines sends first deportation flight out of Arizona

Avelo Airlines sent its first flight out of Mesa Gateway Airport on Monday to aid in the Trump administration’s deportation effort.

Protesters gathered near the airport in Phoenix, Arizona, to condemn the flights. Avelo faced backlash after it announced its contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to charter deportation flights. A petition calling for the end of the contract has received over 37,000 signatures.