At a Glance
- The Trump administration admitted in federal court that deporting Babson College student Any Lucia Lopez Belloza was a “mistake.”
- Lopez Belloza, 19, was detained at Logan Airport on her way to visit family in Texas for Thanksgiving and deported to Honduras on Nov. 22.
- The court is considering options for her return, including issuing a student visa or reopening her removal case.
- Why it matters: A U.S. citizen college student with a full scholarship remains stuck abroad after the government violated its own court order.
The federal government issued a rare apology Tuesday, telling a Boston judge that immigration agents wrongly deported Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a 19-year-old Babson College freshman with a full scholarship.
Government Admits Violating Court Order
A Justice Department lawyer representing the Trump administration stood before U.S. District Judge William Young and conceded the deportation violated a stay-of-removal order that had been in place.
“The Government forthrightly acknowledges that it made a mistake and, this incident aside, has a record of complying with stay of removal orders issued by court,” the electronic clerk’s notes from Tuesday’s hearing state.
Lopez Belloza’s attorney, Todd Pomerleau, told News Of Philadelphia the admission came only after he filed a motion asking the court to hold the government in contempt.
Timeline of the Deportation
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Nov. 22, 2024 | Lopez Belloza detained at Logan Airport while trying to board a flight to Texas for Thanksgiving |
| Nov. 22, 2024 | Deported to Honduras the same day |
| December 2024 | Pomerleau files motion for contempt |
| Jan. 14, 2025 | Government apologizes in open court |
The Babson student had planned to surprise her family in Texas. Instead, immigration officers flagged her, cancelled her existing stay of removal, and put her on a flight to Honduras within hours.
Court Considers Path Home
Judge Young expressed skepticism that a civil-contempt ruling would fix the problem, according to the clerk’s notes.
The judge instead asked both sides to explore ways to bring Lopez Belloza back legally. Options on the table include:
- Issuing a new student visa so she can resume classes
- Reopening her removal case and granting parole
- Allowing her to re-enter to litigate her immigration status
The court emphasized that Lopez Belloza is “an innocent victim in this case” and reiterated she holds a full scholarship to Babson.
Student’s Lawyer: Apology Is Not Enough
Pomerleau said the government has taken no steps to facilitate her return since the deportation.
“School starts next Tuesday. She has no assurance she’s coming back,” he told Michael A. Turner. “We sued a week before Thanksgiving. They’ve made no attempt to facilitate her return. We needed to ask for contempt of court just to get an apology, and we have no remedy yet.”
The motion for contempt remains pending while the judge weighs mediation options.
Key Takeaways
- The Trump administration admitted violating a court order when it deported Lopez Belloza.
- The 19-year-old college student remains in Honduras with no set return date.
- A federal judge is pressing for a mediated solution that could include a new visa or case reopening.
