Public infrastructure should reflect the values of the communities it serves —values like transparency, equity, and a firm commitment to human rights. Tweed New Haven Airport, which operates with local, state, and federal support, is no exception.

During public comment at the latest meeting of the Tweed New Haven Airport Authority, urgent concern was expressed: Avelo Airlines, the primary carrier operating at Tweed, has reportedly signed a contract to begin conducting deportation flights out of Mesa, Arizona starting this May. These deportations risk violating due process protections for immigrants.

This is not just an Arizona issue. It is a question of what Tweed New Haven —and by extension, the people of Connecticut —will be complicit in. Allowing a publicly subsidized airline to profit from a system that often detains and deports vulnerable individuals without adequate legal protections betrays our community’s values and tarnishes our airport’s reputation.

We are in an era where extreme capitalism allows corporations to chase profit at any moral and ethical cost, often backed by public infrastructure, tax breaks, and subsidies. Avelo Airlines, currently benefiting from state subsidies and favorable leasing conditions, cannot be allowed to quietly profit from the suffering of vulnerable individuals. To do so not only compromises common sense ethics —it risks the revenues to Tweed.

Nearly 35,000 people have already signed a petition pledging to boycott Avelo if these flights move forward. The financial and reputational damage could be substantial —not just for the airline, but for Tweed and the surrounding community.

The Tweed New Haven Airport Authority must act immediately to protect the integrity of our public infrastructure:

• Demand a formal and public commitment from Avelo Airlines that it will not profit from or conduct deportation flights that violate human rights.
• Include human rights compliance clauses in all future leases and operating agreements with Avelo.
• Withhold support for any state subsidies to Avelo unless it can demonstrate it will not engage in deportation flights involving due process concerns.
• Ensure full transparency and engage the public openly in all future negotiations involving Avelo’s operations at Tweed.

Public trust is earned through courageous leadership, not silence. Tweed must show that it will not be a silent partner to injustice. If Avelo wants to continue operating from a publicly supported airport, it must align its practices with Connecticut’s values.

The Tweed New Haven Airport Authority has an opportunity —and a responsibility— to lead. Let’s make it clear: our public infrastructure must not be used to advance unjust deportations.

Myra Klockenbrink lives in Greenwich.