Trump administration says detaining college student was a mistake

The US government apologized in court for mistakenly deporting Any Lucía López Belloza, who was detained at Boston's airport in November and flown to Honduras.

The government apologized in court after Any Lucía López Belloza, a 19-year-old Babson College freshman, was detained at Boston's airport in November and flown to Honduras two days later. The removal occurred despite an emergency court order on 21 November that directed officials to keep her in the United States for at least 72 hours while legal processes proceeded. Government lawyers said an ICE deportation officer believed the order no longer applied and failed to activate a system that would have alerted other officers. López Belloza is not detained and has been staying with relatives while pursuing her studies remotely. What is known: - Any Lucía López Belloza was detained at Boston's airport on 20 November and removed from the United States two days later. - A 21 November emergency court order had directed authorities to hold her in the United States for at least 72 hours for legal review. - Government lawyers acknowledged the order was violated, apologized in court, and said an ICE officer mistakenly thought the order no longer applied and did not notify other enforcement offices. - A federal judge called the removal a "tragic" bureaucratic mistake but raised questions about whether the court has jurisdiction to grant relief. Summary: The court hearing featured a government apology and an acknowledgment that the removal occurred in violation of a judge's order, described by the judge as a tragic bureaucratic mistake. Undetermined at this time.