Democrats urge Trump administration to facilitate return of Austin-raised Babson student deported despite court order

Lawmakers press for remedy after deportation acknowledged as an error in federal court

Democratic lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to facilitate the return of Any Lucía López Belloza, an Austin-raised Babson College freshman who was deported to Honduras in November 2025 despite a federal judge’s emergency order barring her removal for 72 hours.

The push, led by U.S. Rep. Greg Casar of Austin and joined by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, comes as the case continues to unfold in federal court in Boston. The lawmakers’ request centers on restoring López Belloza’s ability to resume her education in the United States while her legal challenges proceed.

Timeline: detention at Logan Airport, court order, and removal

López Belloza was detained on Nov. 20, 2025, at Boston Logan International Airport while attempting to travel to Texas for Thanksgiving. Within roughly two days, she was transferred to Texas and then deported to Honduras on Nov. 22, 2025.

During that period, her attorney filed an emergency request in federal court seeking to prevent her removal from Massachusetts or the United States for at least 72 hours. A judge granted the request on Nov. 21, 2025. Federal prosecutors later acknowledged in court that the government violated that order.

What the government has said in court — and what DHS has said publicly

In January 2026 proceedings, a federal prosecutor apologized on behalf of the government for the removal occurring in violation of the judge’s directive, describing it as an inadvertent mistake tied to an officer’s misunderstanding of the court order and internal notification procedures.

At the same time, the government has maintained that López Belloza had an outstanding immigration removal order stemming from childhood proceedings. Government filings have argued she missed prior opportunities to challenge that order and have raised jurisdictional objections to the Massachusetts court’s ability to provide certain remedies after the deportation.

Separately, the Department of Homeland Security has disputed that it lacked authority to remove her, pointing to the existence of a prior removal order. Her legal team has said they could not locate records supporting an active order and has argued she was unaware of any such order.

Legal and practical questions: can she be brought back?

The federal judge overseeing the case has pressed government attorneys to explore paths for legally returning López Belloza, including potential visa options that would allow her to continue her studies. Court filings and hearings have indicated that, while the court is weighing its jurisdiction and available remedies, there are administrative tools that could be used to facilitate her reentry if the executive branch chooses to do so.

Key facts at the center of the dispute

• López Belloza is an Austin-raised Babson College freshman deported to Honduras on Nov. 22, 2025.
• A federal court issued an emergency stay on Nov. 21, 2025, barring removal for 72 hours.
• Federal prosecutors later acknowledged the deportation violated the court order and apologized in court.
• Democratic lawmakers are requesting that federal officials facilitate her return so she can continue her education.

The case now turns on whether the administration will use its discretion to facilitate López Belloza’s return, even as the underlying immigration dispute and procedural questions continue in federal court.