In brief
Lucia Lopez Belloza, a 19-year-old freshman at Babson College, was deported to Honduras while trying to visit her family for Thanksgiving. Legal arguments claim she missed opportunities to contest her removal order, which was issued when she was a child. Her attorney argues that the lack of communication from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made it difficult for her to challenge her deportation effectively.
CONCORD, N.H. (PulseWire) — Lucia Lopez Belloza, a 19-year-old freshman at Babson College in Massachusetts, was deported to Honduras while attempting to visit her family for Thanksgiving. The incident has raised questions regarding her immigration status and the processes involved.
After being detained at Boston's airport on November 20, Lopez Belloza was flown to Honduras just two days later, despite a court order issued on November 21 that instructed her to remain in Massachusetts. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter explained that the court lacked jurisdiction as Lopez Belloza was already en route to Texas for removal.
Lopez Belloza's attorney, Todd Pomerleau, argues that she was unaware of a longstanding removal order, complicating her ability to challenge it. He stated, ICE made it nearly impossible to locate her as she was being deported, criticizing the lack of communication and failure of ICE to provide crucial information regarding her situation.
In Sauter's defense, he mentioned that although Lopez Belloza's case could be transferred to Texas, it was unnecessary as the government has already released her from custody in Honduras. He reiterated that she managed to inform her family about her deportation shortly after being detained.
Pomerleau expressed concerns regarding ICE's lack of transparency in their processes, noting the frustration in not knowing where their client was held or why. We literally have to guess not only where our client is, but why they’re being held because they don’t give us any information, he remarked.
Lopez Belloza, who had arrived in the U.S. at the age of 8 in 2014, had previously been ordered removed when her mother’s case was dismissed during an appeal. Pomerleau asserted that at the time of the order, Lopez Belloza was a minor, highlighting her unawareness of her legal options.
The court has granted Pomerleau until December 11 to formally respond regarding Lopez Belloza's case. She remains in contact with Babson College, working on completing her final exams remotely while trying to navigate this chaotic situation. She’s just a remarkable young woman, Pomerleau added, expressing determination that she will have a bright future.
