U.S. Says It Erred in Deporting Student Traveling for Thanksgiving

In a federal court hearing, the Trump administration acknowledged it mistakenly deported Any Lucia López Belloza, a 19-year-old Babson College freshman, to Honduras in late November while she was traveling to visit her family for Thanksgiving. Despite the rare admission of error, the government has not yet dropped the case. Ms. López was detained at Boston Logan International Airport on November 20 and deported two days later, even after a court order on November 21 had barred her deportation pending her case. Ms. López expressed hope that the apology would allow her to return to her studies and her parents. Since her deportation, her family in Austin, Texas, has reportedly faced intimidation from immigration authorities. The judge in the case indicated a desire to find a solution for Ms. López to return to the U.S. The administration's immigration policies have sometimes proceeded despite court orders, with examples including the deportation of over 200 migrants to El Salvador despite a court order and the mistaken deportation of another student, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who was later returned only to face further threats. Ms. López's lawyer appreciated the apology but stressed that an apology without a remedy is hollow.