Deported Babson College Student Seeks US Government Assistance

Lopez Belloza is a Babson College student who faced a serious immigration error that altered her life dramatically. After planning to surprise her family in Texas for Thanksgiving, she was detained at Logan Airport and subsequently deported to Honduras, a country she had not visited since childhood.

Events Leading to Deportation

Lopez Belloza’s ordeal began when she presented her ticket to a gate agent. Instead of boarding her flight, immigration officials apprehended her. Despite her attorney’s efforts to secure her release, she was moved to Texas and deported within two days.

Government Mistake Acknowledged

In December, a federal judge highlighted that her deportation resulted from a bureaucratic error. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter acknowledged this mistake in court, expressing regret for the mismanagement that led to her situation.

Life After Deportation

Currently residing with her grandparents in San Pedro Sula, Lopez Belloza is adjusting to her new reality while coping with anxiety and depression. The holidays, traditionally spent with family, have been particularly challenging for her.

• Deported to Honduras in November 2023
• Planning to attend Babson College in Fall 2025
• Aspiring to be the first in her family to graduate college
• Plans to assist her father with his tailoring business

Family Impact

Lopez Belloza’s deportation has deeply affected her family. After publicly addressing her situation, her family in Austin faced intimidation from ICE agents. They are now living in fear, hesitant to leave their home.

Lopez Belloza is determined to return to the U.S. and continue her studies. She has been completing assignments remotely, although focusing from abroad has proved difficult. She remains hopeful that her situation can be rectified with the government’s acknowledgment of their mistake.

Next Steps

Her attorney is actively pursuing a visa application that could facilitate her reentry into the United States. Lopez Belloza and her family continue to pray for a timely resolution so she can reclaim her life and education in Massachusetts.

“I just want to be back at Babson,” Lopez Belloza stated, emphasizing her dream to return to her friends and the campus that represents her future.