They protest when the government uses their services to commit human rights abuses.

This isn't handout, and while the US due to it's strategic significance isn't likely to be at an immediate risk the rules still apply.

If the only connection you have to the outside world is through foreign airlines you open yourself to be pressured both by state and non-state actors.

While one can say it's the chicken and the egg problem in this case the egg truly comes first and how connected a country is, has a direct and immediate impact on it's economic viability and outlook.

P.S. This isn't about the deportation issue which is quite terrible* but rather to the GP comment about the act being a handout.

*The US is also the only nation that hasn't ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._ratification_of_the_Conve...

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/...

> Both airlines said they had no knowledge of whether U.S. officials have used their flights to transport the children.

The Georgia GOP state legislature decided not to offer tax-breaks to Delta (and by effect all carriers) because they were angry Delta announced they were ending special discounts offered to NRA members for travel to the NRA convention.