The deportation of a Babson College student while attempting to fly home for Thanksgiving has prompted the institution to instruct faculty and staff to provide “academic and community support.”
Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, 19, was detained at Boston Logan International Airport on 20 November as she tried to board a flight to surprise her family in Texas.
According to her attorney, she was sent to Honduras two days later.
That was despite a court order prohibiting the government from moving her out of Massachusetts or the United States.
Lopez Belloza, whose family emigrated from Honduras when she was seven, is now staying with her grandparents.
Caitlin Capozzi, the college’s dean of campus life, informed faculty and staff of the detention Tuesday.
“Our ability to share specifics is limited by law, but please know that our focus remains on supporting the student and their family, as well as the wellbeing of our community,” the dean wrote.
“Relevant faculty and staff have been informed so they can provide appropriate academic and community support in the student’s absence.”
Lopez Belloza, a freshman, is studying business at Babson, which has 2,800 undergraduate students at its campus in Wellesley, just west of Boston.
Capozzi said the college is following protocols and staying informed, and provided links to resources for students.
A message posted online from college President Stephen Spinelli said the college would not be commenting further due to legal and privacy considerations.
“We understand that this news may feel unsettling, particularly for our students, faculty, and staff who may already be navigating uncertainty,” he wrote.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an immigration judge ordered Lopez Belloza deported in 2015.
Asked about the emergency order prohibiting her removal, the Department of Homeland Security provided an earlier statement that confirmed Lopez Belloza’s detainment but did not address the court order.
