The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is asking four charter airlines to terminate their contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportations.

The union president, April Verrett, sent letters to the CEOs of Avelo Airlines, Global X, Eastern Airlines, and Omni Air International, alleging that such companies are involved in the separation of immigrant families.”

“On behalf of the two million members of the (SEIU), I am writing to express our deep concern about Avelo's involvement in the Trump administration's cruel and inhumane ICE Air deportation flights,” the letter states, specifying that similar messages will be sent to the leaders of Global ICE raids, alerting that federal agents racially profile their targets, whether by skin color or language.

“Terrorizing essential workers, their families, and entire communities is contrary to responsible business practices and is also detrimental to businesses and the American economy. Whether from a moral, legal, or economic standpoint, the conclusion is: it's time for the companies to terminate their contracts with ICE Air," Verrett writes. The union points out that masked agents are detaining and deporting thousands of people without due process. The letter is part of SEIU's “De-ICE These Flights” campaign to protect immigrant workers and defend workers' constitutional rights. “Nearly 10,000 SEIU members and allies have already signed the campaign's online petition, demanding that the four charter airlines terminate their contracts for ICE deportation flights," the union says. The SEIU seeks to raise awareness among institutional investors with stakes in these companies or their parent companies about the financial risks of allowing deportations. "SEIU members and millions of workers participate in retirement security plans that could be exposed to the risks to the economy that these practices represent," the union alleges. "On ICE deportation flights, immigrants are often shackled and subjected to abuse,such as being denied access to air conditioning, restrooms, and the ability to protect themselves during an emergency if they are restrained.”

The SEIU criticizes companies, such as Avelo Airlines, Global DACA, among other visas.

Increased Flights in 2025

A new report from ICE Flight Monitor, an initiative of Human Rights First, reveals that the Trump administration's deportation policies have led to a significant increase in flights.

Generally speaking, from January 20 to October 31, 2025, the Trump administration ICE conducted at least 10,357 immigration enforcement flights, including removal, removal-related, and domestic transfer flights—that is, sending migrants from one state to another. 1,701 removal flights were conducted to a record 77 countries, a 79% increase over the same period in 2024, the report indicates. “These ICE flights represent a system that operates in the shadows,” said Savi Arvey, Director of Refugee Protection Research and Analysis at Human Rights First. “People are disappearing, being deported to countries where they face persecution, or being sent to places they have never lived, all without transparency or due process.”

This union is made up of more than two million workers, of whom around 30% are immigrants with permits such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or DACA, among other visas.

Increase in Flights in 2025

A new report from ICE Flight Monitor, an initiative of Human Rights First, reveals that the Trump administration's deportation policies have led to a considerable increase in flights.

Overall, since January 20 to October 31, 2025, the Trump administration conducted at least 10,357 immigration enforcement flights, including removal, removal-related, and domestic transfer flights—that is, sending migrants from one state to another.

1,701 removal flights were conducted to a record 77 countries, a 79% increase compared to the same period in 2024, the report indicates. report.

“These ICE flights represent a system that operates in the shadows,” said Savi Arvey, Director of Refugee Protection Research and Analysis at Human Rights First. “People are disappearing, being deported to countries where they face persecution, or being sent to places they have never lived before, all without transparency or due process.”