Government Apologizes for Mistaken Deportation of College Student
The U.S. government has issued an apology in court for the wrongful deportation of Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a 19-year-old student from Babson College. While officials acknowledged the error, they maintained that it should not impact her ongoing case.
Lopez Belloza was detained at Boston’s airport on November 20 as she attempted to fly home for Thanksgiving, and she was deported to Honduras two days later. This occurred despite a court order issued on November 21 that mandated her stay in the U.S. for at least 72 hours.
Currently residing with her grandparents, Lopez Belloza continues her studies remotely and has recently visited an aunt in El Salvador. Her situation highlights issues with deportations carried out contrary to judicial orders, as seen in other cases such as Kilmar Abrego Garcia and a Guatemalan man identified as O.C.G.
During a federal court session in Boston, government representatives argued that the court lacked jurisdiction because the legal action was filed after Lopez Belloza arrived in Texas en route to Honduras. However, they admitted to breaching the judge’s directive.
An ICE officer mistakenly believed that the court order was void once Lopez Belloza had departed Massachusetts. This resulted in a failure to alert other ICE officials to halt her removal, as outlined in court documents.
“On behalf of the government, we want to sincerely apologize,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter expressed in court, acknowledging the mistake was not intentional but an “inadvertent” error by a single employee.
The deportation officer confessed in a court declaration that he did not inform the Port Isabel, Texas enforcement office to cancel the deportation mission, assuming the order did not apply once Lopez Belloza left the state.
The government asserts that the deportation was lawful, citing a 2016 removal order and a dismissed appeal in 2017. Prosecutors indicated that Lopez Belloza could have pursued further legal channels or requested a stay of removal.
Lopez Belloza’s attorney, Todd Pomerleau, argued that the deportation was a clear violation of the court’s November 21 order, depriving her of due process. “I was hoping the government would show some leniency and bring her back,” Pomerleau stated.
U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns recognized the government’s admission of error, describing the incident as a “tragic” bureaucratic blunder. He noted that the breach did not seem intentional, and expressed uncertainty about whether the court held jurisdiction, as the order was filed post-departure.
“It might not be anybody’s fault, but she was the victim of it,” Judge Stearns remarked, suggesting Lopez Belloza might seek a student visa. Pomerleau proposed that a possible solution could involve allowing her to return to complete her studies while he attempts to reopen the removal order.
