US court orders administration to ensure return of deported student

BOSTON, Massachusetts: The Trump administration was ordered by a U.S. federal judge to ensure the return of a Honduran college student who was deported in violation of a court order.

The administration had earlier refused to bring her back to the United States.

However, on February 13, Boston-based U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns gave the administration two weeks to ensure Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a student from Babson College in Massachusetts, was brought back. She had been deported after being detained at Boston's Logan Airport while traveling to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with her family in Texas.

"Wisdom counsels that redemption may be found by acknowledging and fixing our own errors," Stearns wrote in his ruling. "In this unfortunate case, the government commendably admits that it did wrong. Now it is time for the government to make amends."

Stearns, who Democratic President Bill Clinton appointed, said he wanted to avoid holding anyone in civil contempt and gave the administration time to fix what he said everyone agreed was a "mistake."

Last week, the State Department said it could not comply with the judge's suggestion to offer the girl a new student visa, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement refused to help bring her back.

This led to the latest court order. Her lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, welcomed the decision and described Lopez Belloza as a strong and deserving young woman.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, said Lopez Belloza was given due process but did not explain whether the agency would follow the judge's order. The spokesperson said there was no "mistake."

The 20-year-old college freshman is a citizen of Honduras. She came to the U.S. with her mother at age eight while her mother was seeking asylum. She studies at Babson College in Wellesley.

Lopez Belloza said she did not know there was a final deportation order against her, which is why she was arrested. She was flown to Honduras on November 22, even though a Massachusetts court had ordered a 72-hour pause on her deportation the day before. She is now living in Honduras with her grandparents.

At a January hearing, a government lawyer apologized for violating the court order and said it happened because an ICE officer failed to properly flag the mistake.

More Indonesia News

Access More

Sign up for Indonesia News

a daily newsletter full of things to discuss over drinks.and the great thing is that it's on the house!