Federal judge dismisses Babson College student’s deportation lawsuit after she declined an ICE-arranged return flight

Case turned on court jurisdiction after a missed flight opportunity

A federal judge in Massachusetts dismissed the remaining federal court challenge brought by Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a Babson College freshman who was mistakenly deported to Honduras after being detained at Boston’s Logan International Airport in late 2025.

The dismissal followed a dispute over whether the court still had authority to act after Lopez Belloza declined to board an ICE-arranged flight that would have returned her to the United States near the end of February 2026. In a written ruling, the judge concluded that turning down the flight eliminated the court’s remaining basis to oversee the case, ending the proceeding in federal district court.

What happened at Logan and why the deportation drew judicial scrutiny

Lopez Belloza, then 19, was detained on Nov. 20, 2025, while preparing to fly to Texas to visit family for Thanksgiving. She was deported to Honduras less than two days later, despite a court order barring her removal while the litigation was pending.

In subsequent filings, the federal government acknowledged the deportation occurred in error. The government’s explanation centered on an internal failure to trigger an alert that would have flagged the court order and prevented removal. The case then moved into a phase focused on what, if anything, federal authorities had to do to facilitate her return.

A court-ordered return plan, then a dispute over what compliance required

In early February 2026, the judge directed the government to facilitate Lopez Belloza’s return by the end of the month, setting a deadline that became central to later hearings. As that deadline approached, federal officials said they had arranged her travel back to the United States.

Lopez Belloza’s attorneys argued the proposed travel plan carried a risk of immediate detention and removal upon arrival. The Department of Homeland Security, in contrast, said she did not appear for the scheduled flight and stated that officials made multiple attempts to contact her.

The dismissal and what could come next

After Lopez Belloza declined the proposed return flight, the judge dismissed the case, concluding the court no longer had a live basis to exercise jurisdiction. Her attorney filed an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Beyond the appeal, the broader immigration dispute remains shaped by the government’s position that a final removal order predates her 2025 detention. Lopez Belloza has said she did not know such an order existed at the time she traveled and has continued her Babson coursework remotely from Honduras while legal proceedings continue.

• Key dates: Nov. 20, 2025 detention at Logan; late 2025 deportation to Honduras; early Feb. 2026 order directing facilitation of return; Feb. 27, 2026 flight Lopez Belloza declined; March 6, 2026 dismissal of the federal district court case.

The ruling turned on a narrow procedural question: whether a federal court could continue to act once the government offered a return flight and the plaintiff declined it.