The company, which flies out of New Haven, is under contract with the state Department of Homeland Security to charter deportation flights

Avelo Airlines, a budget airline that serves mostly small U.S. cities, began federal deportation flights Monday out of Arizona, a move that's inspired an online boycott petition and sharp criticism from the union representing the carrier’s flight attendants.

Protesters joined with clergy members Monday in a growing escalation against the airline, which has so far not signaled it will cease the flights.