In a move that defies a federal judge's suggestion, the U.S. government under President Donald Trump announced on Friday that it is "unfeasible" to grant a visa to university student Any Lucía López Belloza for her return to the United States. This decision comes despite a federal judge's proposal to rectify what has been termed a "mistake" leading to her deportation to Honduras, which violated an emergency judicial order.
Telemundo 51 reported that the refusal was communicated by a Department of Justice attorney in a court filing. This response was in line with a deadline set by District Judge Richard Stearns in Massachusetts, who had demanded a resolution from the government by Friday regarding how they intended to rectify the situation.
The document indicated that granting a student visa would be "unviable" as López Belloza "does not appear to meet the criteria" necessary for such a visa.
The 19-year-old Babson College student was apprehended at Boston's airport on November 20 while attempting to fly to Texas to surprise her family for Thanksgiving. She was deported to Honduras just two days later.
On November 21, a court had issued an emergency order instructing the government to keep her in the U.S. for at least 72 hours, yet the deportation proceeded regardless.
Why the U.S. Claims It Can't Bring Her Back
The Department of Justice also dismissed the option of returning her, arguing that despite describing the incident as an "unintentional breach" of the court order, López Belloza was under a final removal order and would still face detention and deportation if she returned.
Her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, stated in a press release that they will continue to litigate "until Any is brought back to the United States."
In mid-January, the Trump Administration apologized to the court for the "error" that led to her deportation. Cited court documents reveal that an ICE deportation officer mistakenly believed that the order preventing her removal was no longer in effect since López Belloza was no longer in Massachusetts. The officer also failed to activate a system that alerts other ICE agents when a case is under judicial review and deportation should be halted.
During a previous hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter expressed sincere apologies on behalf of the government and characterized the violation as an "inadvertent error," not a deliberate act of defiance against the court order. Judge Stearns responded by acknowledging that, while it might not be anyone's fault, she was "the victim" and suggested the possibility of applying for a student visa.
The text notes that it remains unclear how the judge will proceed following the government's rejection of his visa proposal. Additionally, López Belloza claims she was unaware of any deportation order against her.
According to the cited information, an immigration judge ordered her and her mother's deportation in 2016, and the Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed their appeal in 2017. The young woman emigrated with her family from Honduras to the U.S. in 2014 and currently lives with her grandparents, studying remotely, as per the document.
Key Questions About the Deported Student's Case
Why was Any Lucía López Belloza deported?
Any Lucía López Belloza was deported due to a final removal order issued against her, despite a court's emergency order to keep her in the U.S. temporarily.
What did the court say about her deportation?
A federal judge highlighted the deportation as a mistake and suggested issuing a student visa as a corrective measure, which the U.S. government deemed unfeasible.
How did the U.S. government respond to the deportation error?
The Trump Administration apologized for the mistake, describing it as an "unintentional breach" of the court order and not a deliberate violation.