The Trump administration has issued a formal apology in a federal court for what it called a "mistake" in the deportation of a 19-year-old college student who was detained while attempting to fly home to surprise her family for Thanksgiving.
A Thanksgiving Trip Turns into a Legal Ordeal
Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a freshman at Babson College in Massachusetts, was detained at Boston’s Logan International Airport on 20 November. Despite an emergency federal court order issued the following day, 21 November, which directed authorities to keep her within the United States for at least 72 hours, she was flown to Honduras two days later.
Lopez Belloza, whose family emigrated from Honduras to the U.S. in 2014, is now staying with grandparents and studying remotely. She is not currently detained and was recently visiting an aunt in El Salvador.
Government Admits Error but Fights Jurisdiction
During a hearing at the U.S. District Court in Boston, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter offered a sincere apology on behalf of the government. He stated that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer had made an inadvertent error, believing the judge's order no longer applied once Lopez Belloza had left Massachusetts.
The officer failed to activate a system that alerts other ICE personnel when a case is under judicial review and removal should be halted. He also admitted in a court declaration filed on 2 January that he did not notify the ICE enforcement office in Port Isabel, Texas, to cancel the removal mission.
However, the government's legal team simultaneously argued that the court lacks jurisdiction in the matter. They contended that Lopez Belloza's lawyers filed their legal action several hours after she had already arrived in Texas while en route out of the country.
A Pattern of Controversial Removals and Legal Implications
This case is not an isolated incident. It follows other controversial deportations executed despite court orders, including that of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to El Salvador, and a Guatemalan man identified as O.C.G.
The government maintains that Lopez Belloza's deportation was lawful because an immigration judge ordered the removal of her and her mother in 2016, and the Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed their appeal in 2017. Prosecutors suggested she could have pursued additional appeals or sought a stay of removal.
Her lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, strongly countered this, arguing her deportation was a clear violation of the 21 November court order and deprived her of due process. "I was hoping the government would show some leniency and bring her back," Pomerleau said. "They violated a court order."
U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns called the situation a "tragic" bureaucratic error and appreciated the government's apology. He indicated, however, that holding the government in contempt was unlikely as the violation did not appear intentional. Judge Stearns also questioned his jurisdiction, leaning towards the government's argument about the timing of the filed order. He suggested Lopez Belloza might explore applying for a student visa as a potential path forward.
Pomerleau stated that one possible resolution would be to allow his client to return to the United States to finish her studies while he works to reopen the underlying removal order.
