ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — As legal battles play out at the federal level over deportation flights, state Democrats are pushing legislation to deter New York from working with airlines that facilitate those flights for immigrations and customs.
Democratic Senator Pat Fahy is sponsoring a bill called the SAFE AIR Act, saying companies that contract with ICE are transporting people without due process. If passed in New York, the Safe Air Act would keep those companies from a sales tax exemption on jet fuel.
“Which we spend of upwards of $170 million of dollars on each year for that tax exemption and all commercial airlines benefit from that,” said Fahy. “We should not as taxpayers be subsidizing commercial airlines or any businesses that are undermining civil liberties.”
The legislation would also prohibit airline companies from future state contracts if due process is not involved. The bill was introduced after Avelo Airlines signed a contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“At this point, all we know is they do have an contract with ICE, but the only deportations have gone out of Arizona and Texas. But this again contracting would be prospectively. So in other words, they could not have future contracts if we were to adopt this law.”
According to Fahy, Avelo Airlines are at four airports in the state.
“Albany, Rochester, Islip or McArthur, and Binghamton.”
Senate Minority Leader, Rob Ortt, was asked about the legislation.
“If they’re against the exemptions, I’d imagine they were against it before, but I haven’t heard anything from Pat Fahy or anyone else on this,” said Ortt. “So they’re only against it one way— if we are sending people who are being deported who are not citizens of the United States out of here, they’ve got a problem with it. Senator Fahy has a problem with it. But if they are bringing them in, in the dark of night, they are totally fine with it. Got it. ”
The bill is currently in committee in both the state Senate and Assembly.