Judge Orders Trump Officials to Bring Back Deported Honduran Student

Federal judge slams administration for violating court order and deporting college freshman

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A Boston federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to bring back a 20-year-old Honduran college student who was deported in violation of a court order. The judge gave officials just two weeks to facilitate the return of Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a Babson College freshman who was removed from Boston's Logan Airport and sent to Honduras despite her lawyer securing a protection order the day before.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between the federal government and the courts over immigration enforcement, with the judge sharply criticizing the administration for its refusal to cooperate and acknowledge its mistakes in this case involving a young student who was unlawfully deported.

The details

According to the ruling, an ICE officer's failure to properly flag Lopez Belloza's protection order led to the bungled deportation, which government lawyers admitted was a "mistake." The State Department called issuing Lopez Belloza a new student visa "unfeasible," while ICE declined to help bring her back to the U.S.

  • In November, Lopez Belloza was deported from Boston's Logan Airport and sent to Honduras.
  • On February 13, 2026, the federal judge ordered the administration to bring Lopez Belloza back to the U.S. within two weeks.

The players

Any Lucia Lopez Belloza

A 20-year-old Honduran college student at Babson College who was unlawfully deported from the U.S. despite a court order protecting her from deportation.

U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns

The federal judge in Boston who ordered the Trump administration to bring Lopez Belloza back to the U.S. within two weeks, slamming the government for its refusal to cooperate and acknowledge its mistakes.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal immigration enforcement agency that deported Lopez Belloza in violation of a court order, and later declined to help bring her back to the U.S.

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What they’re saying

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

— U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns (Reuters)

What’s next

The judge has given the Trump administration two weeks to facilitate the return of Any Lucia Lopez Belloza to the United States.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between the federal government and the courts over immigration enforcement, with the judge sharply criticizing the administration for its refusal to cooperate and acknowledge its mistakes in this case involving a young student who was unlawfully deported.