De-ICE These Flights

Keep March Madness Free From Deportation Flights

We are witnessing our families, children, and neighbors being detained by masked ICE agents without due process. But what happens next isn’t as visible.

Many are then forced onto ICE deportation flights, shackled into their seats, and flown thousands of miles away—often in cruel, inhumane conditions.

Most of these deportation flights are operated by charter companies like GlobalX Air, Eastern Airlines, and Omni Air International—each making millions through contracts with ICE.

No one should profit from cruelty and inhumanity.

Yet many respected universities have flown their student athletes with these same charter flight companies. This March Madness, tell university presidents to commit to not using ICE-contracted charter flights for March Madness or any future event.

“They never taught us anything regarding the immigration flights. They didn’t tell us these people were going to be shackled, wrists to f**cking ankles.” -Flight attendant on ICE Air

We’re making a difference. Join us!

In case you missed it, our voices are being heard! After public pressure—including over 16,000 signatures from working people and a letter from SEIU President April Verrett to airline CEOs—Avelo Airlines announced in January 2026 that it would stop flying deportation flights for ICE. A victory, but there’s more work to do!

Make sure you’re part of the team working to put an end to ICE Air.

In the News

The deportation flight was in the air over Mexico when chaos erupted in the back of the plane, the flight attendant recalled. A little girl had collapsed. She had a high fever and was taking ragged, frantic breaths.

Avelo Airlines said that it will no longer carry out migrant deportation flights for the Department of Homeland Security, ending a contract that supported the U.S. government's immigration enforcement efforts.

Just before being put on board her deportation flight, Melissa Tran’s wrists and ankles were shackled to a chain around her waist. It had been more than 10 hours since she’d been given any food or water; for the last seven, she had been sitting on a bus on the tarmac.

The NCAA sent a memo to its Division I schools on Feb. 24, cautioning against the possibility that the upcoming men's and women's basketball tournaments could see some travel struggles due to myriad factors in play across the United States.

Investor Briefing on Immigration and the Economy

The following briefing on the economic value of immigration and the potential investor risks stemming from the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement policies has been developed by the Service Employees International Union’s Capital Stewardship Program. The Capital Stewardship Program works with SEIU members that participate in public and private sector pension plans with combined assets of over $1 trillion and provides pertinent information to trustees and other fiduciaries who serve at those plans. The Service Employees International Union represents over two million members across North America in a variety of industries. This document is in response to increasing requests from fiduciaries for information regarding whether the new immigration policies could have an impact on portfolios or plan participants. SEIU is not qualified or registered to provide investment advice, nor does this briefing offer any investment advice.