US Administration Says Return of Deported Babson Student Is “Unfeasible” Despite Court Order

The administration of Donald Trump has told a federal court that facilitating the return of a Honduran college student mistakenly deported in violation of a judicial order is “unfeasible,” setting up a potential clash with the judiciary. The response came after U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns in Boston asked the government to outline how it would “rectify the mistake” that led to the removal of Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a 20-year-old student at Babson College.

In a court filing, the Justice Department said it had relayed the judge’s earlier recommendation that the State Department issue Lopez Belloza a visa enabling her return, but argued she “appears inadmissible” to the United States. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has also declined to help bring her back, despite acknowledging that her November deportation to Honduras stemmed from an “inadvertent” violation of a court order. Government lawyers maintained that she was subject to a final order of removal, making her arrest, detention and deportation legally authorized.

Lopez Belloza, who was brought to the U.S. at age eight while her mother sought asylum, was detained at an airport while traveling for Thanksgiving and deported on November 22, a day after her attorney secured a 72-hour court order blocking her removal or transfer. She has said she did not know she faced a final removal order. Judge Stearns has indicated he could consider holding the administration in civil contempt if it does not act, while her lawyer vowed to continue fighting the case until she is allowed to return to the United States.

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