Aviation blogger and New Hampshire lawmaker Seth Miller has sued Avelo Airlines over a controversy stemming from a billboard that attacked the budget carrier’s ICE deportation flights.

Seth Miller Sues Avelo Airlines After Budget Carrier Seeks To Silence Speech By Removing ICE Deportation Billboards

Avelo Airlines has invited controversy by agreeing to operate US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation flights on behalf of the Trump administration.

Miller, a Boarding Area colleague and now a New Hampshire state lawmaker, paid for two billboard advertisements outside Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN) in Connecticut that attacked Avelo for its decision to operate deportation flights. The billboard is pictured above.

Using a modified Avelo logo, the billboard asks, “Does your vacation support their deportation? Just say AvelNO!”

Days after the billboards were erected, lawyers from Avelo sent Miller a cease and desist note, asserting that he had violated Avelo’s trademark and caused consumer confusion, with some observers reportedly believing the ad was placed by Avelo (let that logic sink in…).

Avelo also scared the billboard operator, Lamar Advertising, into removing the billboards.

That prompted a lawsuit by Miller against Avelo in Nevada, where the airline is incorporated. He is asking that a court affirm his right to exercise his freedom of speech on this matter.

Miller told the New York Times:

“I have the right to raise objections to their business actions, just as much as they have the right to advertise their business.”

Miller is particularly concerned that in the Trump era, deportation flights are carried out without due process and deportees are placed in shackles before boarding the aircraft.

Meanwhile, Avelo has proceeded with deportation flights, which began last Monday. The carrier says these flights are necessary for its bottom line and began under President Joe Biden.

But Miller says, “This contract was signed after we knew that they were sending people to the wrong countries, that they were doing it without hearings. I think that’s disgusting and needs to be called out.”

I Support Miller’s Lawsuit

Regardless of the way you feel about immigration or the Trump administration (and I do support efforts to remove criminal aliens with due process), you should support Miller’s lawsuit. This is indeed a free speech issue. As his attorney explained:

“The First Amendment protects Miller’s speech here, and the principle underlying that is that Avelo can make its own speech. Avelo is free to respond to Miller in the marketplace of ideas but is not free to use baseless threats of litigation to silence him.”

Bravo.

Meanwhile, an ICE spokesperson said efforts like this are “nothing more than a tired tactic to abolish ICE by proxy.” Baloney. Avelo has declined to comment.

Free speech rights do not exist on a private blog like Live And Let’s Fly, but regular readers know that I go out of my way to encourage dialogue and leave comments that may be viewed as inflammatory or controversial. The answer to speech is more speech.

But while that may be a policy decision on the blog, it is a constitutional protection in the public square. I expect Miller to prevail and hope the billboards will return. It’s the principle of the matter.

What do you think about the Avelo ICE billboard?