U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns urges the government to rectify the deportation of college student Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, who was removed to Honduras while traveling home for Thanksgiving.
A U.S. judge has given the Trump administration three weeks to address what he described as a serious error following the deportation of a college student to Honduras. Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, 19, was removed from the United States while attempting to travel to Texas for Thanksgiving with her family.
U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns, based in Boston, set a deadline for the government to reissue Lopez Belloza’s student visa, which would enable her return to the United States. Earlier this week, a government attorney acknowledged in court that the deportation violated an existing court order that should have prevented her removal.
Lopez Belloza, a Honduran citizen, came to the United States with her mother at the age of eight while seeking asylum. She stated that she was unaware of any removal order at the time of her deportation.
In addressing the case, Judge Stearns remarked, “There is happily no one-size-fits-all solution for seeing that justice be done in what all agree was an amalgam of errors that ended badly for Any.” He suggested that the “simplest solution” would be for the U.S. Department of State to issue her a student visa.
As an alternative, the judge indicated he could instruct the Trump administration to take measures to facilitate Lopez Belloza’s return, warning that the government could face contempt proceedings if it failed to comply. He has given the administration 21 days to inform the court of its plans moving forward.
Lopez Belloza’s attorney, Todd Pomerleau, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating in an email that it would allow him to collaborate with the government “to come up with a solution to bring Any to the United States in the near future.”
Lopez Belloza is currently a freshman at Babson College in Massachusetts. She was arrested on November 20 at Boston’s airport while preparing to fly to Texas for a surprise Thanksgiving visit with her family. The following day, her lawyer filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts challenging her detention, leading to a judge issuing an order on November 21 that blocked her deportation or transfer out of the state for 72 hours.
However, by that time, Lopez Belloza had already been transferred to Texas and was deported to Honduras on November 22. She is currently residing with her grandparents in Honduras.
Judge Stearns, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, noted that because Lopez Belloza was outside Massachusetts when her lawyer filed the suit, he no longer had jurisdiction to hear the broader case. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the government still possesses the authority to rectify what he termed a “tragic (and preventable) mistake” resulting from the violation of his court order.
Earlier this week, a government lawyer apologized in court, characterizing the deportation as a “mistake” made by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. The officer failed to properly flag the order after determining it no longer applied once Lopez Belloza was moved out of Massachusetts.
This case highlights the complexities and challenges within the U.S. immigration system, particularly concerning the treatment of individuals who are navigating legal processes while seeking education and stability in the country.
As the situation develops, the focus remains on the government’s response to Judge Stearns’ order and the potential for Lopez Belloza’s return to the United States.
According to The American Bazaar, the outcome of this case could have implications for similar situations involving students and their immigration statuses.