Denver council delays 10 airport airline agreements amid deportation-flight concerns

Denver City Council voted 11–0 on Oct. 5 to postpone action on 10 proposed airline agreements at Denver International Airport until Oct. 13. The council did not approve or reject the agreements, which set terms for airlines’ use of airport facilities, according to the meeting video transcript.

Council Pro Tem Sarah Parady González-Gutiérrez, who moved to postpone the measures, said members needed more time to discuss the issue with immigrant-rights organizations and clarify what protections and accountability measures might apply. Councilmember Shontel Lewis called for monitoring deportation flights and making that tracking available to Denver residents. Councilmembers Flor Alvidrez and Darrell Cashman also supported more time for discussion.

Six of the 10 contract texts reviewed for this story—including the Air Canada agreement and Cayman Airways agreement—contain no specific restrictions on immigration or deportation flights and no requirements to track or publicly report them. The agreements include general provisions for addressing certain contract defaults, including violations of laws or rules an airline agreed to follow.

Denver International Airport’s chief executive said at a Sept. 16 committee meeting that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement flights under discussion operate separately through a fixed-base operator and would continue whether or not the airline agreements were approved, according to the committee video.

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted 4–2 on Sept. 16 to advance the 10 resolutions for full-Council consideration, according to the committee minutes. The resolutions are scheduled to return to Council on Oct. 13; the council has not decided whether to add or pursue further protections or accountability measures.