A U.S. District Court judge dismissed the deportation lawsuit filed by Any López Belloza, a 20-year-old Babson College student, after she declined a court-ordered flight back to the United States. The ruling came after López Belloza, detained in November while traveling to surprise her Austin family, was deported to Honduras despite a federal court order preventing her removal. Federal attorneys admitted the deportation was a mistake but argued the Massachusetts court lacked jurisdiction because López Belloza had already left the state when the order was issued. Judge Richard Stearns stated her refusal to board the flight ended the court's jurisdiction, leaving her legal options limited. More in U.S.

López Belloza's attorneys argued the case should remain in Massachusetts federal court because immigration officials moved her quickly between detention centers, complicating legal challenges. Stearns rejected this, citing no evidence of deliberate concealment. Court records showed López Belloza was held in Massachusetts for a day before being transferred to Texas, giving her lawyers time to file there. If she had returned on the arranged flight, she would have likely faced detention in Texas and could have filed a new challenge under the existing removal order. Instead, the government's compliance resolved the dispute. Her attorney filed an appeal notice just 30 minutes after the ruling, with the case heading to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston.

López Belloza, who entered the U.S. with her mother at age 8 and settled in Austin, faces ongoing efforts to secure her legal status. Her attorney emphasized she was worried about immediate detention and deportation upon arrival, potentially derailing her studies. U.S. Rep. Greg Casar vowed continued advocacy for her safe return, stating she should never have been deported in the first place. She is currently taking online courses in Honduras while her legal team pursues a new visa application.