Three weeks ago, The Daily Campus began investigating the University of Connecticut’s marketing partnership with Avelo Airlines. The university entered a sponsorship agreement with Avelo in 2022, allowing the airline premium placement in promotional endeavors during UConn athletic games. Despite the airline’s recent agreement with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to sponsor deportation flights, their partnership has remained unchanged. By continuing this sponsorship and refusing to provide comment, the university is neglecting its responsibility as a state institution to fight for its residents and their values.
Facing financial issues, Avelo entered a long-term contract with ICE earlier this year. Three of their planes have been operating charter flights for deportations since May 12. According to Avelo’s CEO and founder Andrew Levy, Avelo understands the “sensitivity of this topic” but “determined this charter flying will provide [them] with the stability to continue expanding [their] core scheduled passenger service and keep [their] more than 1,100 Crewmembers employed for years to come.” Levy’s attempts to save his company by partnering with ICE may backfire; as the first commercial airline to have a public contract with ICE, Avelo has received a wave of backlash.
The University of Connecticut is among over 20 universities currently partnering with Avelo. The sponsorship agreement between Avelo and UConn concentrates on promotional content and advertising, but UConn has flown its athletic teams with Avelo in several postseasons despite not being included in their contract. When asked by The Daily Campus if Avelo remains a travel option for university athletes, UConn Spokesperson Stephanie Reitz did not respond. Evidently, the university has not yet taken a clear stand against Avelo, even in light of their actions. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), The Daily Campus gained access to university emails regarding Avelo’s sponsorship. Numerous concerned alumni and Connecticut residents implored UConn to act in defiance of Avelo’s contract with ICE and “not give in to what’s happening in our country,” as alumnus Catherine McSweeney urged. The Daily Campus’s FOIA request did not include any responses to these emails. On multiple levels of leadership, the university has declined to make statements regarding an issue that holds great importance to its community. Their lack of transparency magnifies the problem of their partnership — not only is the university willing to work with a company tied to ICE, they’re also ignoring their community’s pleas to act differently.
It’s not just the UConn community concerned about Avelo’s partnership with ICE — hundreds across 13 states protested Avelo’s place at their local airports. Connecticut’s own Bradley International Airport, one such site of protest, announced that they would be stopping Avelo services by January. In addition to concern from community members, Connecticut’s state government has spoken out against Avelo’s ties to ICE. Connecticut’s state Attorney General William Tong posted a video on Instagram asserting that the state of Connecticut should not support “an airline that assists this administration in its unlawful and unconstitutional actions.” From everyday citizens to government representatives, the overwhelming sentiment in the state of Connecticut is that Avelo’s actions are both unethical and unacceptable.
The Daily Campus editorial board condemns ICE’s deportation of innocent people and our university’s partnership with a company that facilitates such actions. The editorial board calls for the university to rescind their partnership with Avelo. It’s crucial for the university to consider the ramifications of openly partnering with an organization that so openly contradicts their so-called core values of “enhancing the social, economic, cultural and natural environments of the state.” Revoking Avelo’s sponsorship agreement alone is not enough. As UConn students, we urge the university to publicize their severance and the reasoning behind it so that others might follow suit. Being Connecticut’s state flagship university, UConn has a responsibility to its community and the country as a whole to uphold the values publicized in their mission statement. If the university’s President and Board of Trustees truly care about the convictions of their students, alumni and residents of Connecticut, the necessary course of action is to publicly sever ties with Avelo.
Excellent Work! History will remember the universities inaction during this inflection point
Why don’t you illegals just shut up and go home. You’re nothing but leaches and criminals and a burden to the lawful and legal citizens of our country.
You can’t even spell “leeches” properly. I know Mexicans that can spell in English better than you. Why don’t you learn our language better?
Seriously you are defending this corrupt administration and siding with the deportations of people that are not even criminals? Not everyone that’s here in this country illegally is a criminal. They’re people just trying to make a better life for themselves the same way everyone else in this country is. The only people that are in this country that are truly non-immigrants are the native Indians. Everyone else is an immigrant in one way or another!!! You’re just as bad as the ice agents that ride around picking up people with mask on to hide who they truly are. Instead of hiding behind and name like DISTURBED PATRIOT… You coward!!!!!!!!
We are a nation of laws. If you are here illegally, it’s time to return home and follow the legal process. Everyone is welcome to come the right way.
I agree. Since when is a now woke University speak for all the residents of Connecticut?
Well said “We are a nation of laws. If you are here illegally, it’s time to return home and follow the legal process. Everyone is welcome to come the right way.”
Immature, and quite frankly, bs. If the UCONN Staff were standing in the cold awaiting tickets for their beloved Husky teams to play, and bus of immigrants got off the bus and cut the line you could bet they’d be writing in favor of Avelo.
Stop
A new generation of dreary, self-important liberals makes their strident voices heard.
It’s actually very conservative to insist on laws being followed and human rights. It cuts deeply into all religions including Christianity. This is not about “immigration” that topic is complex. It is actually about your rights – to established laws and human rights. If laws are subverted by those in power it’s 100 percent of always that eventually those who let laws go get harmed. Due process is a law you and I benefit every single day.
Uconn also sided with the shutdown of schools over the fraudulent Covid (flu) debacle
EMTALA was signed into law by President Reagan – this guarantees medical care for anyone walking into an emergency department. You people are insufferable.
Avelo made a business decision. Let them figure it out. For those that don’t agree with their decisions there’s other carriers to choose from.
Undocumented immigration is a civil matter by the way. If it was a criminal offense then Melania Trump (GENIUS Act) would be in jail for fraud.
It’s disappointing to see the explanation given for ending this sponsorship. The reality is that UConn is now choosing to align itself with actions that undermine those who worked hard, followed the legal process, and became proud, contributing citizens of this country.
This decision minimizes the experiences of people like my own family—immigrants who did everything the right way. It feels as though the university is more concerned about potential backlash from those who protest or push back when they don’t get their way than about standing on principle.
Shame on the leadership for hiding behind misleading reasoning instead of standing firm on values that historically defined this institution.
What part of ‘ILLEGAL’ is so hard to understand?
And let’s be honest… it is not Pedro the landscaper or Juan the cook who are being deported first, rather the gangbangers and criminals.
It’s time to vote every Democrat “OUT”wake up Connecticut any immigrant here legally is not being deported what’s so hard to understand about that. WE’RE GETTING OVERCROWDED HERE IN FLORIDA THAT’S NOT JUST BECAUSE OF WEATHER WE HAVE THE BEST POLITICAL LEADERS
Avelo Airlines providesa very convenient, competitive and consistent regional transportation service. To punish them because of their business relationship with ICE is absolutely ludicrous and detrimental to CT residents who value their convenient New Haven location and non-stop destinations. These punitive actions designed to appease the extremist and illegal views expressed by irrational fringe groups is inexcusable!
Uconn needs to focus on educating and not becoming a political mouthpiece for the radical left, woke agenda brainwashing machine. Cut the garbage out and focus on educating.
So silly..wasting time on counterproductive activity which only hurts your entity. ..A not so brilliant use of a higher education
Apparently the university (and thus the state) had a cost saving arrangement with the airline. It’s good to know that the state is awash with cash such that they can afford to break this agreement.
Whether people are here legally or not, they are legally mandated due process, and it is illegal for anyone to be flying them out of the country before they have a chance to get a lawyer and defend themselves. They may have been victims, they may have been trafficked, refugees, whatever the case. Not cool that Avelo is participating in illegal activity. Just because someone says it’s ok, doesn’t mean it is.
When your legal immigrant neighbors, family members and local small business owners are rounded up by ICE officers wearing masks to disguise their identity because they have a Latin surname or are making purchases at Home Depot, you may reconsider your support of this administration. Of course criminals and illegals are legitimate targets. But these ICE renegades attack and drag people away first and maybe ask for ID later. Due process and respect for legal immigration are important parts of our American constitution. Those who violate these laws and rules are also criminals.