Trump admin issues apology over deportation of college student to Honduras

By LAURA PARNABY, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: | Updated:

The Trump administration has issued a rare apology for the sudden deportation of a college freshman to Honduras while she was traveling home for Thanksgiving. Any Lucia López Belloza, 19, was intercepted by two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials at the Boston airport in November and placed in shackles. 'It felt like I was a criminal, when I'm not,' López Belloza told MS Nowat the time. 'That kind of hurts,' she added, before breaking down in tears as she described the moment she had to tell her mother she had been detained.

The Trump administration has issued a rare apology for the sudden deportation of a college freshman to Honduras while she was traveling home for Thanksgiving. Any Lucia López Belloza, 19, was intercepted by two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials at the Boston airport in November and placed in shackles. 'It felt like I was a criminal, when I'm not,' López Belloza told MS Nowat the time. 'That kind of hurts,' she added, before breaking down in tears as she described the moment she had to tell her mother she had been detained.

Assistant US Attorney Says Administration Made a 'Mistake'

López Belloza launched legal action against her deportation a day after she was detained, and this week, the government apologized in court via an attorney. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter said the administration had made a 'mistake' when they ordered ICE officials to deport the Babson College freshman. 'On behalf of the government, we want to sincerely apologize,' Sauter said. López Belloza was brought to the US from Honduras by her parents when she was eight years old. She was arrested on November 20 based on a removal order she said she did not know existed.Her lawyer filed a lawsuit challenging her detention the next day.

López Belloza launched legal action against her deportation a day after she was detained, and this week, the government apologized in court via an attorney. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter said the administration had made a 'mistake' when they ordered ICE officials to deport the Babson College freshman. 'On behalf of the government, we want to sincerely apologize,' Sauter said. López Belloza was brought to the US from Honduras by her parents when she was eight years old. She was arrested on November 20 based on a removal order she said she did not know existed.Her lawyer filed a lawsuit challenging her detention the next day.

A federal judge in Massachusetts issued an order on November 21 barring López Belloza from being deported or transferred out of the state for 72 hours. But by that time, López Belloza had already been flown to Texas, potentially stripping Stearns' court of jurisdiction. She was flown to Honduras on November 22. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter acknowledged the court's order was violated, a development he blamed on a 'mistake' by an officer with ICE who thought the order no longer applied and failed to properly flag it.

A federal judge in Massachusetts issued an order on November 21 barring López Belloza from being deported or transferred out of the state for 72 hours. But by that time, López Belloza had already been flown to Texas, potentially stripping Stearns' court of jurisdiction. She was flown to Honduras on November 22. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter acknowledged the court's order was violated, a development he blamed on a 'mistake' by an officer with ICE who thought the order no longer applied and failed to properly flag it.

US Judge Calls Case a 'Bureaucratic Mess'

The case was heard by US District Judge Richard Stearns, who called the case a 'bureaucratic mess'. Sauter apologized, but said there were no grounds to hold anyone in contempt. He called it a rare instance of the government not following an order in the over 700 cases filed in Massachusetts by migrants challenging their detention since President Donald Trump took office last year with a hardline immigration agenda. Stearns, who was appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton, commended Sauter for acknowledging the mistake and asked what the remedy should be, saying 'we don't want to lose sight that we have a real human being here.'

The case was heard by US District Judge Richard Stearns, who called the case a 'bureaucratic mess'. Sauter apologized, but said there were no grounds to hold anyone in contempt. He called it a rare instance of the government not following an order in the over 700 cases filed in Massachusetts by migrants challenging their detention since President Donald Trump took office last year with a hardline immigration agenda. Stearns, who was appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton, commended Sauter for acknowledging the mistake and asked what the remedy should be, saying 'we don't want to lose sight that we have a real human being here.'

Todd Pomerleau, López Belloza's lawyer, urged Stearns to order the government to facilitate the return of his client and to hold officials in contempt. 'The rule of law ought to matter,' Pomerleau said. Stearns did not immediately rule. But he floated an alternative, recommending the State Department issue López Belloza a student visa allowing her to finish her studies. 'We all recognize a mistake was made,' Stearns said. 'She's a very sympathetic person, and there should be some means to addressing this.' Last month, the Department of Homeland Security celebrated removing more than 2.5 million people from the US during the first year of Trump's second administration.

Todd Pomerleau, López Belloza's lawyer, urged Stearns to order the government to facilitate the return of his client and to hold officials in contempt. 'The rule of law ought to matter,' Pomerleau said. Stearns did not immediately rule. But he floated an alternative, recommending the State Department issue López Belloza a student visa allowing her to finish her studies. 'We all recognize a mistake was made,' Stearns said. 'She's a very sympathetic person, and there should be some means to addressing this.' Last month, the Department of Homeland Security celebrated removing more than 2.5 million people from the US during the first year of Trump's second administration.

They said that more than 605,000 'illegal aliens' had been deported by DHS enforcement operations, while 1.9 million had 'voluntarily self-deported'. The department launched the CBP Home app which allows illegal immigrations to take a free flight home, while receiving $1,000 as an extra incentive. 'Illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now,' Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. 'They know if they don't, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.'

They said that more than 605,000 'illegal aliens' had been deported by DHS enforcement operations, while 1.9 million had 'voluntarily self-deported'. The department launched the CBP Home app which allows illegal immigrations to take a free flight home, while receiving $1,000 as an extra incentive. 'Illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now,' Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. 'They know if they don't, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.'

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