Any Lucía López Belloza, a 19-year-old freshman at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, faced an unexpected and distressing situation when she was detained at Boston Logan International Airport on November 20. Her family emigrated from Honduras to the U.S. in 2014 when she was only seven years old. They were hoping she would make it home to surprise them for the holidays. Then her journey took a dramatic turn. Just two days later, on November 22, she was forcibly deported to Honduras.
The government’s actions have drawn significant scrutiny. This change took effect after an emergency court order issued on November 21. It required that Any Lucía López Belloza remain in Massachusetts or elsewhere in the U.S. for a minimum of 72 hours to let legal processes play out. Even so, the government conceded that her deportation was in violation of this order.
Mark Sauter, a representative of the government, acknowledged the error, stating, “On behalf of the government, we want to sincerely apologize.” He clarified that the incident stemmed from “an inadvertent mistake by one individual, not a willful act of violating a court order.”
Todd Pomerleau, any Lucía López Belloza’s lawyer, struck a sombre proclaim about such prosecutions. His basic argument was that her deportation was a violation of her due process. He strongly advocated for a resolution that would allow her to come back to complete her education. “I was hoping the government would show some leniency and bring her back,” he expressed.
Richard Stearns, a judge for the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts and presiding judge in Lewis’ case, called the government’s prosecution “deadly” bureaucratic mistake “tragic.” He underscored that Any Lucía López Belloza’s deportation occurred even with the federal district court order already in place. He even recommended that she start looking into getting a student visa so she could return to the U.S. to finish her education.
The government’s position on the issue is unbending. USCIS continues to assert that such a deportation is legal by relying on an immigration judge’s 2016 order. Despite this dangerous precedent, one Lucía López Belloza’s overall appeal was rejected by the Board of Immigration Appeals back in 2017. Prosecutors claim she did have other options available to her. She chose not to make further appeals or seek a stay of removal prior to her deportation.
Today, Any Lucía López Belloza lives with her grandparents in Honduras, attending school virtually. She had been staying with an aunt in El Salvador when the detention happened. The ongoing discussions around her status highlight significant concerns regarding immigration processes and the rights of students in similar situations.