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U.S. Government Apologizes for Wrongful Deportation of College Student Despite Court Order
The Trump administration has issued a formal apology in a Boston federal court for what it described as a “mistake” in the deportation of a 19-year-old Massachusetts college student who was removed from the country despite an emergency court order prohibiting the action.
Amy Lucia Lopez Belloza, a freshman at Babson College, was detained at Boston’s airport on November 20 when attempting to fly home to surprise her family for Thanksgiving. She was deported to Honduras two days later, despite a judge issuing an emergency order on November 21 directing authorities to keep her in the United States for at least 72 hours.
“On behalf of the government, we want to sincerely apologize,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter told the judge during Tuesday’s hearing. He characterized the violation as “an inadvertent mistake by one individual, not a willful act of violating a court order.”
Court documents revealed that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer mistakenly believed the court order no longer applied once Lopez Belloza had left Massachusetts. The officer failed to activate the system that alerts other ICE personnel when a case is under judicial review and removal should be halted. The officer also neglected to notify ICE’s enforcement office in Port Isabel, Texas, that the deportation mission needed cancellation.
Lopez Belloza, whose family emigrated from Honduras to the United States in 2014, is currently staying with grandparents and continuing her studies remotely. She is not detained and was recently visiting relatives in El Salvador.
Despite acknowledging the error, government attorneys argued that the court lacks jurisdiction because Lopez Belloza’s lawyers filed their action several hours after she had already been transferred to Texas en route out of the country. They also maintained that her deportation was legally justified because an immigration judge had ordered her removal, along with her mother, back in 2016. The Board of Immigration Appeals subsequently dismissed their appeal in 2017.
U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns appeared sympathetic to Lopez Belloza’s situation, calling it a “tragic” bureaucratic mistake. However, he questioned whether he had jurisdiction over the case and seemed reluctant to hold the government in contempt, noting that the violation did not appear intentional.
“It might not be anybody’s fault, but she was the victim of it,” Stearns remarked during the hearing, suggesting at one point that Lopez Belloza might explore applying for a student visa.
Her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, argued that she was deported in clear violation of the November 21 order and that the government’s actions deprived her of due process. “I was hoping the government would show some leniency and bring her back,” he said. “They violated a court order.”
Pomerleau suggested that one potential resolution would be allowing Lopez Belloza to return to the United States to complete her studies while he works to reopen the underlying removal order.
This case marks the latest in a series of incidents involving deportations carried out despite court orders. In a similar case, Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador despite a ruling that should have prevented it. The administration initially resisted efforts to bring him back but eventually complied after the U.S. Supreme Court intervened. In another instance last June, a Guatemalan man identified as O.C.G. was returned to the United States after a judge determined his removal to Mexico likely “lacked any semblance of due process.”
These cases highlight ongoing concerns about procedural safeguards within the immigration enforcement system and raise questions about accountability when court orders designed to protect due process rights are not followed.
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14 Comments
This is a deeply troubling incident that highlights the need for greater accountability and transparency within the immigration enforcement system. The government’s apology is welcome, but more must be done to ensure such mistakes never happen again.
Absolutely. The government must take swift action to investigate how this occurred, identify any systemic issues, and implement concrete reforms to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of students and immigrants.
While the government’s apology is a step in the right direction, the fact that this deportation occurred despite a court order is extremely concerning. Stronger safeguards and better training for officials are clearly needed to ensure the law is properly followed.
I agree. The government needs to conduct a comprehensive review of its immigration enforcement practices and implement robust measures to prevent any future violations of court orders or the rights of students and immigrants.
It’s good to see some accountability, but this should never have happened in the first place. The government needs to do a better job training its personnel and implementing robust systems to prevent such mistakes, which can have devastating impacts on people’s lives.
Absolutely. Robust training and oversight are clearly needed to ensure government officials comply with the law and court orders. The human cost of these errors is unacceptable.
It’s good to see the government taking responsibility for this mistake. Wrongful deportations can have serious consequences for students and their families. I hope the government takes steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
Yes, it’s important that the government is held accountable and takes measures to prevent such errors in the future. Transparency and due process are critical when it comes to immigration matters.
This is a concerning situation. While I’m glad the government apologized, the fact that the deportation occurred despite a court order is deeply troubling. Proper procedures and safeguards need to be in place to protect the rights of students and immigrants.
I agree, the disregard for the court order is very problematic. The government needs to ensure its agents strictly follow all legal directives, especially when it comes to sensitive matters like deportation.
This is a troubling situation that highlights the need for greater oversight and accountability within the immigration enforcement system. The government’s apology is a start, but concrete actions are required to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Exactly. The government must take this opportunity to thoroughly review its policies and procedures to identify and address any systemic issues that could lead to such violations of court orders. The rights of students and immigrants must be protected.
While the apology is appreciated, the fact that this deportation occurred despite a court order is deeply concerning. The government needs to thoroughly investigate how this happened and take immediate steps to ensure it never occurs again.
Agreed. The government must be held to the highest standards when it comes to respecting the rule of law and the rights of students and immigrants. Procedural safeguards are essential to prevent such egregious mistakes.