Overview
- U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns ruled the court lost its only remaining jurisdiction when Any Lucía López Belloza refused to board a government-arranged flight back to the United States on Feb. 27.
- The judge said a protective order would have remained in effect had she returned, giving her time to challenge any detention in Texas.
- López Belloza’s attorneys filed an immediate appeal to the First Circuit after the dismissal.
- Her legal team alleges WhatsApp messages from an ICE agent promised she would likely be released upon arrival, while government filings said she could be detained and re-deported.
- ICE and DHS say they complied with the court’s order to facilitate her return and that she failed to appear for the flight; she remains in Honduras taking Babson classes remotely after a November removal carried out despite a 72-hour stay and later acknowledged as a government mistake.