Some local lawmakers and community advocates are calling on Avelo Airlines to end its contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They held a news conference on Thursday at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport.

Avelo is working with ICE to assist the agency with deportation flights. The airline says it signed an agreement for a long-term charter program to fly three 737s for the agency. Those flights will begin on May 12 and will be based at Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona.

Avelo says it will have domestic and international flights supporting deportations.

In the statement, Avelo Airlines founder and CEO Andrew Levy said in part:

“We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic. After significant deliberations, we determined this charter flying will provide us with the stability to continue expanding our core scheduled passenger service and keep our more than 1,100 crewmembers employed for years to come.

"We also flew these charters under the Biden administration. Regardless of the administration or party affiliation, as a U.S. flag carrier, when our country calls and requests assistance, our practice is to say 'yes.' We follow all protocols from DHS and FAA, honoring our core value of Safety Always."

Monroe County Legislature Vice President Mercedes Vazquez-Simmons and county Legislator Rachel Barnhart say they have submitted a request to review Monroe County’s financial agreements with Avelo Airlines to determine what public incentives, if any, were offered.

“So, today we are saying enough," Barnhart said. "Avelo Airlines should not be profiting off of human suffering. Monroe County should think about doing business with Avelo. We as a community will not be silent, and we demand that Avelo choose humanity and choose people over profits.”

“I am not here to tell Avelo Airlines CEO Andrew Levy how he should run his company," Monroe County Legislator Santos Cruz said. "I am here to tell him how the American consumer is going to react. We will not fly Avelo Airlines."

Barnhart's office says a petition to boycott Avelo Airlines has already surpassed 25,000 signatures.