Babson College offers support to student deported trying to fly home for Thanksgiving surprise

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – Babson College has instructed faculty and staff to provide “academic and community support” to a student who was deported to Honduras when she tried to fly home to visit family for Thanksgiving.

Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, 19, was detained at Boston Logan International Airport on Nov. 20 when she tried to board a flight to surprise her family in Texas. She was sent to Honduras two days later despite a court order prohibiting the government from moving her out of Massachusetts or the United States, according to her attorney.

Lopez Belloza, whose family emigrated from Honduras when she was 7, is now staying with her grandparents. The college’s dean of campus life, Caitlin Capozzi, informed faculty and staff of Lopez Belloza’s 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 in a message made public Monday. “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.

Todd Pomerleau, Lopez Belloza’s attorney, said he has not been able to find any record of her original deportation order.