Lucia López Belloza's plans for a triumphant Thanksgiving were cruelly shattered when she was deported back to Honduras after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at Boston Airport. The 19-year-old business student, who has been living in the US since she was seven years old, had traveled home for the holiday with her parents, expecting to surprise them with a visit.
The unexpected twist came when López, who is an undocumented immigrant, was told there was an "error" with her boarding pass. As she sought assistance from customer service, she was handcuffed and arrested by what she believed were ICE agents. Her family friend had bought her tickets to fly home, unaware of the impending deportation.
López's lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, described his client's detention as an "unconstitutional horror show." According to Pomerleau, López was not given a reason for her detention and was shackled like a hardened criminal before being deported to Honduras. The student had no prior record with ICE, making the case even more egregious.
Honduras is a country plagued by gang violence, corruption, and a high homicide rate that far exceeds the global average. It's also in the midst of a highly contested presidential election, which has drawn attention from the US under President Donald Trump.
López was allowed to make one phone call to her parents before being deported, leaving her family in shock. Her lawyer is now seeking an explanation from the US government on why the emergency order barring her removal was not respected.
The deportation has sparked outrage and concerns about the treatment of undocumented immigrants. The 19-year-old student's case highlights the difficulties faced by those trying to navigate the complex immigration system, particularly when dealing with seemingly arbitrary decisions made by ICE agents.
López remains in Honduras, awaiting an opportunity to return to her studies or reunite with her family. For now, she is trying to stay positive and focused on her future, saying that "I want to be able to move forward and maybe continue my studies... And one day, to see my parents and my family again."
The unexpected twist came when López, who is an undocumented immigrant, was told there was an "error" with her boarding pass. As she sought assistance from customer service, she was handcuffed and arrested by what she believed were ICE agents. Her family friend had bought her tickets to fly home, unaware of the impending deportation.
López's lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, described his client's detention as an "unconstitutional horror show." According to Pomerleau, López was not given a reason for her detention and was shackled like a hardened criminal before being deported to Honduras. The student had no prior record with ICE, making the case even more egregious.
Honduras is a country plagued by gang violence, corruption, and a high homicide rate that far exceeds the global average. It's also in the midst of a highly contested presidential election, which has drawn attention from the US under President Donald Trump.
López was allowed to make one phone call to her parents before being deported, leaving her family in shock. Her lawyer is now seeking an explanation from the US government on why the emergency order barring her removal was not respected.
The deportation has sparked outrage and concerns about the treatment of undocumented immigrants. The 19-year-old student's case highlights the difficulties faced by those trying to navigate the complex immigration system, particularly when dealing with seemingly arbitrary decisions made by ICE agents.
López remains in Honduras, awaiting an opportunity to return to her studies or reunite with her family. For now, she is trying to stay positive and focused on her future, saying that "I want to be able to move forward and maybe continue my studies... And one day, to see my parents and my family again."
. I mean, Lucia was just trying to have a normal Thanksgiving with her fam, and then BAM! ICE comes and ruins it for her 
. It's so messed up that she was treated like a hardened criminal, handcuffed and all that jazz 
. And now she's stuck in Honduras, waiting for who knows when she can come back 
. I just hope the US government steps up and explains why they didn't respect that emergency order... it's just not right 
. It's like, can't we just have a simple system where people don't get deported for no reason? 
Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Lucia and hoping she gets to finish her studies soon 
.
this is so sad for Lucia, 19 yrs old & got deported without reason 
. ICE agents should know the rules & follow procedures better 
. Immigration system is a nightmare, lots of ppl like her stuck between countries 
. Family life is everything, now she's all alone in Honduras 
the us has a lot of problems when it comes to immigration, but cases like lucia's just show how broken the system can be.
. But in reality, it's not just about mistakes; it's about the system we have in place that perpetuates fear and uncertainty for people like Lucia. We need to start asking ourselves if this is really how we want to treat each other, as human beings 
.
. We need to do better, for Lucia, for her family, and for ourselves...
And what really gets me is that she had no prior record with ICE, so why did they still go after her? It's just not right.
and this is what happens to her on thanksgiving 
her lawyer is saying it was like a horror show and i'm with him, no reason given for detention is wild 
i feel bad for lucia's family too, they must be going thru so much stress 
but i'm glad lucia's staying positive 
maybe one day she'll be back in the us, pursuing her dreams 
And now she's stuck in Honduras because of some random "error" with her boarding pass? Like, get over it? 
That's just so not right. I'm literally shaking with rage 
. They must be going through so much stress and anxiety because of this situation. And Lucia herself? She's just trying to stay positive and focused on her future... it's so inspiring 
. We need to keep supporting her and spreading the word about this terrible situation! 
She had her whole life planned and just got busted because of a stupid boarding pass error... like what even is that? 
️. But seriously, what's going on here? I mean, an "error" with her boarding pass just happens to be a deportation order? That's some next-level bureaucratic red tape 
. Honduras might have its problems, but at least Lucia wasn't trying to break any laws 
Lucia's experience is a prime example of how the immigration system can be so cruelly unfair. One minute you're living your life as a young adult in the US, studying and making plans for the future, and the next you're being deported back to a country that's not even your own. It's like she was living in limbo, never really knowing what her future held.
. I'm all for immigration reform, but this is just ridiculous. Can't the US government do better than this?