Judge orders US to retrieve student deported to Honduras during Thanksgiving travel

The 19-year-old Babson College freshman was deported despite having no criminal history

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A federal judge in Boston has ordered the U.S. government to bring back a Babson College freshman who was deported to Honduras while traveling for Thanksgiving. The judge gave the government two weeks to retrieve 19-year-old Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, who was detained at Boston's airport on November 20 and deported two days later despite having no criminal history.

Why it matters

This case highlights issues around immigration enforcement and the deportation of students, even those with valid visas, and raises questions about the government's handling of such cases and the rights of individuals caught up in the immigration system.

The details

According to the judge's order, the government acknowledged mistakenly deporting Lopez Belloza, who entered the U.S. in 2014. An immigration judge had issued a removal order against her in 2015, but her previous attorney told her there had been no such order. The government said she missed multiple opportunities to appeal, but her current lawyer argued there were simple solutions available for the government to rectify the 'mistaken' deportation.

  • Lopez Belloza was detained at Boston's airport on November 20, 2025.
  • Lopez Belloza was deported to Honduras two days later, on November 22, 2025.
  • The federal judge issued the order requiring her return within two weeks on February 13, 2026.

The players

Any Lucia Lopez Belloza

A 19-year-old Babson College freshman who was deported to Honduras while traveling for Thanksgiving, despite having no criminal history.

U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns

The federal judge who ordered the U.S. government to bring Lopez Belloza back to the United States within two weeks.

Todd Pomerleau

The lawyer representing Lopez Belloza, who argued there were simple solutions available for the government to rectify the 'mistaken' deportation.

Department of Homeland Security

The federal agency that deported Lopez Belloza, stating she received 'full due process' and a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge in 2015.

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What they’re saying

“This is not an issue for the Executive to prejudge and arrogate to itself, whatever stance it may choose to take in litigating the removal issue before a court of law.”

— U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns

“The government's response 'spills a lot of ink on the difficulty of a student visa, but it fails to address the numerous simple solutions available to itself to rectify its 'mistaken' deportation.”

— Todd Pomerleau, Lopez Belloza's lawyer

What’s next

The judge has given the U.S. government two weeks to retrieve Lopez Belloza from Honduras and return her to the United States.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complexities and potential pitfalls in the immigration system, where even students with valid visas can be caught up in deportation proceedings. It underscores the need for greater oversight and accountability to ensure the rights of individuals are protected, even in the face of government mistakes.