Student Deportation: 'Horror Show' ICE Arrests 19-Year-Old at Boston Airport
A young Honduran woman was detained by US immigration authorities at a Boston airport while trying to surprise her family with Thanksgiving plans, and then deported to her native country just two days later. Lucia López Belloza, a 19-year-old business student, had been in the US for only a few months before being arrested and taken into custody.
According to her lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, López was handcuffed and shackled at her wrists and ankles when she arrived at the airport, despite having no criminal record or reason for detention. "She wasn't told why she was detained," said Pomerleau. "She was treated like a hardened criminal."
The US government claims that López entered the country without permission and had been ordered removed 10 years earlier, but her lawyer disputes this, saying that the removal order was not shown to them and that the 90-day window for deportation has expired.
López's case highlights concerns about the US immigration system's treatment of undocumented immigrants. Honduras is one of the main routes for drug trafficking between South America and Mexico, and the country has a high homicide rate, with gang violence a major driver of femicides.
The student's lawyer described her detention as an "unconstitutional horror show" and vowed to fight for her client's return. López herself remains optimistic, saying she is trying to stay positive and focused on her future plans, including completing her studies in the US or returning to Honduras.
A young Honduran woman was detained by US immigration authorities at a Boston airport while trying to surprise her family with Thanksgiving plans, and then deported to her native country just two days later. Lucia López Belloza, a 19-year-old business student, had been in the US for only a few months before being arrested and taken into custody.
According to her lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, López was handcuffed and shackled at her wrists and ankles when she arrived at the airport, despite having no criminal record or reason for detention. "She wasn't told why she was detained," said Pomerleau. "She was treated like a hardened criminal."
The US government claims that López entered the country without permission and had been ordered removed 10 years earlier, but her lawyer disputes this, saying that the removal order was not shown to them and that the 90-day window for deportation has expired.
López's case highlights concerns about the US immigration system's treatment of undocumented immigrants. Honduras is one of the main routes for drug trafficking between South America and Mexico, and the country has a high homicide rate, with gang violence a major driver of femicides.
The student's lawyer described her detention as an "unconstitutional horror show" and vowed to fight for her client's return. López herself remains optimistic, saying she is trying to stay positive and focused on her future plans, including completing her studies in the US or returning to Honduras.
they're basically treating this poor girl like dirt at the airport 
handcuffs shackles the whole 9 yards and no explanation just deportation 
the system is broken plain & simple
She was just trying to surprise her family with Thanksgiving plans and ends up getting arrested and deported 
Like, what even is that?! 
And can you believe she had no criminal record or reason for detention? It's like they're treating her like a hardened criminal without even knowing the facts 
. I'm so down for Lucia's lawyer fighting for her return 
. 10 years ago she was supposed to be removed, but what if that removal order was fake?! 
And what about all those gangs and violence in Honduras? It's just not fair to Lucia or other undocumented immigrants who are already living with this uncertainty 
.
that's so inhumane 
hope her lawyer can get her out of this 
10 years for a misunderstanding? 
the US immigration system needs major reform 
it's breaking people's lives 
! Detaining a student who just wants to surprise her family with Thanksgiving plans? That's like taking away their whole holiday 
. I mean, come on, 19-year-old Lucia doesn't even have a criminal record and they're treating her like she's some kind of hardened felon 
. It's just not fair 
.
. And now she's being deported back to Honduras, where her life is probably super tough anyway 
. She deserves to stay in the US and finish her studies or pursue her dreams without this drama 
. It's just so unfair that she's being treated like this 
. I mean, we know Honduras has its issues with gang violence and stuff, but shouldn't we be trying to help people instead of scaring them off? 
It's like the US immigration system is all about punishment rather than solutions 
that's just messed up. And what's with the whole "10 years earlier" thing if they're not even gonna show them the order? 
meanwhile López is tryna stay positive but I'm low-key livid for her 
. its so messed up that they dont even tell u why youre being detained, just assume u r a hardened criminal 
. 19 yrs old student trying to study in the US and get a better life for herself and they throw her out on her ear 
What even is going on here? They say she didn't follow the rules but her lawyer says that doesn't matter because the 90-day window has expired... isn't that how it works?! 
. And 10 years earlier, but no one told her that? It's like they're trying to break her spirit 
. We need to make sure our government is treating people with dignity and respect, not just shoving them around 
.
maybe the us gov should look into the immigration system again and try to make it more fair for ppl like lucia 
... I mean, can you imagine being 19 and already knowing what it's like to be torn away from your dreams? She was trying to surprise her family with Thanksgiving plans, not planning on causing any trouble at all, and yet the system sees her as a threat. It makes me wonder if we're just perpetuating this cycle of fear and mistrust... What does it say about our society that we need to resort to detaining young people like Lucia? And what's the real cost of deporting someone who's been living in a foreign country for years, trying to make a better life for themselves? It's not just about the individual, but about the impact on their loved ones and community too. I guess this is why we need more empathy and understanding in our immigration policies...
. She wants to finish her studies, or maybe even go back home... she ain't givin' up 
.
. doesn't matter if she has no record or reason for detention, she's still being sent back to her home country with nothing 
. what kind of system allows this? 
