AKRON — Akron-Canton Airport has been used for ICE deportation flights since April, according to media partner, the Akron Beacon Journal, sparking protests from nearly 200 community members.
Planes operated by Eastern Air Express have been landing at Akron-Canton Airport since April 20, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. The planes pick up people in restraints who arrive on prison buses or in unmarked vans, then fly to other airports near federal detention facilities.
"This has been happening since April in our backyard, we knew nothing about this," Whitney Williams said.
Protesters spent several hours at the airport entrance calling for an end to ICE operations there.
"It's horrifying that we're participating in any of this in the first place. We shouldn't be worrying about getting rid of people who are our neighbors, who are our friends, who are our coworkers and our lovers and there's no place for that here in Akron and Canton at all," Rachel Williams said.
One protester said the activity came as a surprise.
"I was surprised that it's happening in Akron, I didn't know we would be a part of something like that," a protester said.
However, some community members expressed they had no issue with ICE utilizing Akron-Canton Airport.
In a statement, Akron-Canton Airport told News 5 it understands the concerns surrounding the federal flight operations and recognizes they have generated strong emotions within the community.
"As a public-use airport, CAK does not have the legal authority to approve, deny, manage or restrict lawful aircraft operations conducted by authorized operators. Federal law requires airports to provide access to authorized users on a fair and nondiscriminatory basis," the statement said.
The airport also addressed the temporary nature of the operations.
"Regarding Eastern Air, these operations at CAK are temporary. Eastern Air is using CAK while Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport completes runway repairs, which are expected to be finished this fall. Once that construction is complete, Eastern Air is expected to return its operations to Youngstown," the statement said.
We did reach out to lawmakers for comment but have not yet heard back.
