Salem meeting draws large public protest over Avelo Airlines' ICE contract

Hundreds of residents packed the City Council chamber on June 23 to press the council to end the city’s financial relationship with Avelo Airlines after news that Avelo has a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to operate deportation flights.

Speakers at the meeting said the airline’s agreement with ICE is contrary to Salem’s identity as a sanctuary community and demanded action ranging from a formal council condemnation to an outright termination of the airport contract. Testimony included personal stories from residents who said family members or neighbors were at risk; several speakers described recent ICE flights elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest and urged immediate council response.

Why it matters: speakers and several councilors framed the issue as both a moral and a legal matter that touches public safety, civil rights and the city’s reputation. Advocates argued that the city’s continued payments or incentives to Avelo amount to tacit support for deportations conducted without due process. Opponents of immediate termination warned of legal and financial risks tied to federal aviation law and the city’s existing agreements.

What residents said - “We demand that Avelo stop putting people on planes to deport them,” said Alondra (Ward 5), representing community members who described fear of ICE activity. - Speakers including Alex Baran and Aleyda Saniana described deportations as “kidnapping” and urged the council to refuse contract renewal.

City responses and constraints Council members expressed a range of views. Several councilors — including Vanessa Nordyke and Julie Hoy — said they oppose the deportation flights and the practices reported, but noted legal and fiscal limits on what the city can do now. City officials and the city attorney’s office told the council that the airport’s commercial-service agreement creates financial obligations and that immediate termination could expose the city to penalties and jeopardize federal aviation funding that supports airport infrastructure.

Several councilors urged concrete, feasible steps short of immediate contract termination: refer the matter to the Human Rights Commission, adopt a council resolution condemning the ICE flights, and pledge not to renew the contract in October when the minimum revenue guarantee period ends. Citizens and several councilors asked for clearer commitments from individual council members about nonrenewal.

Next steps Council members agreed to keep the item on future agendas and to consider additional steps, including further public information and possible referral to advisory bodies. Several speakers asked the council to report back with legal options the city could pursue without risking federal funding.

Ending note The council heard sustained public testimony spanning neighborhood residents, faith leaders and business owners. While some council members called for stronger public statements and future nonrenewal, others said the city must weigh legal exposure and federal funding consequences before taking irreversible action.