Deportation of College Student Raises Concerns Over Immigration Procedures

Fri Dec 05 2025 20:55:04 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The case of Lucia Lopez Belloza, a deported Babson College student, unveils systemic issues in the U.S. immigration process, highlighting the challenges faced by young immigrants.

Lucia Lopez Belloza, a 19-year-old Babson College freshman, was deported to Honduras while attempting to visit family for Thanksgiving. Her deportation has ignited debate about the transparency and fairness of immigration procedures, particularly for young individuals unaware of their legal status. Lopez Belloza's attorney argues that she was never informed about her removal order and had no chance to contest it. Critics of the process question ICE's handling of information and accessibility for those being deported.

CONCORD, N.H. — The deportation of Lucia Lopez Belloza, a 19-year-old Babson College student, has surfaced unsettling questions regarding the U.S. immigration system. Deported back to Honduras just two days after being detained at Boston's airport, Lopez Belloza's case reflects serious flaws in the immigration process—particularly concerning young individuals who lack clear communication about their legal status.

A U.S. government attorney revealed that Lopez Belloza had missed opportunities to fight her removal order, which was issued when she was a child. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter stated that the judge who ordered her to remain in Massachusetts lacked jurisdiction since Lopez Belloza was already being transferred to Texas for deportation.

Her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, asserts that Lopez Belloza was completely unaware of the longstanding removal order and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made it exceedingly difficult for her to challenge the order as they deported her. After her detainment, communication from ICE ceased, providing no substantial information for her family or attorney during this precarious period, leading to feelings of powerlessness.

“We literally have to guess not only where our client is but why they’re being held because they don’t give us any information,” Pomerleau explained, highlighting a significant communication gap within the immigration system.

Lopez Belloza, who had come to the U.S. at age eight in 2014, was ordered removed from the U.S. in 2016 without proper notice to her or her family. Despite the legal options she had, including appealing to the Fifth Circuit, Pomerleau claims these were inaccessible to her as a child. Instead, a lawyer had reassured her parents not to worry about her case, thereby perpetuating the misunderstanding and obscuring her rights.

As of now, Lopez Belloza is staying with her grandparents in Honduras, and while she's had to adapt to her new circumstances, her focus remains on her education. Despite the trauma from her situation, she is committed to continuing her studies and completing her first year at Babson College remotely. Pomerleau describes Lopez Belloza as a "remarkable young woman" with a bright future ahead, a sentiment echoed by many who advocate for more compassionate immigration policies.