At a Glance
- The Trump administration admitted in court it wrongly deported Babson College freshman Any Lucia Lopez Belloza.
- Immigration agents detained her at Logan Airport on Nov. 22 as she tried to fly to Texas for Thanksgiving.
- A federal judge is weighing ways to let her return, including a student visa or reopening her removal case.
Why it matters: A 19-year-old scholarship student with legal status was expelled from the U.S. despite a court order protecting her, raising questions about immigration enforcement oversight.
Federal lawyers stunned a Boston courtroom Tuesday by conceding that immigration officers broke the law when they deported 19-year-old Babson College student Any Lucia Lopez Belloza late last year.
The admission came after her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, filed a motion for contempt. According to electronic clerk’s notes, a Justice Department lawyer told the court: “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.”
Lopez Belloza, a Honduran national on a full scholarship, had planned to surprise her family in Texas for Thanksgiving. She was instead seized at Logan Airport on Nov. 22 and flown to Honduras.
“School starts next Tuesday. She has no assurance she’s coming back,” Pomerleau told News Of Fort Worth. “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 judge signaled skepticism that a civil-contempt order would fix the situation. The clerk’s notes state the court “expresses doubt that an order of civil contempt is an appropriate remedy” and is now exploring mediation options.
Possible paths for her return include:
- Issuance of a new student visa (she retains her full scholarship)
- Reopening her removal case and granting parole or formal admission so she can argue her case from inside the U.S.
Lopez Belloza remains in Honduras while the court weighs next steps.
