""This is the first arrest of its kind I've seen," says her attorney, Todd C. Pomerleau, who says the student has been the victim of "character assassination." After López Belloza "was taken down near the border on a bus, had shackles around her ankles, chain around her waist, shackles around her wrist," her family attempted to speak out to the press about the rights violations she suffered. They are now being harassed by law enforcement, as well."
"Hours passed, and even the night passed. And in the morning, that's where I found out that I was - that they were going to transfer me to Texas. And I was like, "Oh, like, can we call, like, my family, so I can let them know?" They didn't allow me. So, I didn't even know that I had - that my lawyer had put it - order so I wouldn't be able to - so that ICE couldn't move me to Texas."
Any Lucía López Belloza, a 19-year-old Babson College freshman, was detained at Boston airport and deported to Honduras while trying to travel home to Texas. Officials moved her despite no formal removal order and despite lawyers' attempts to halt the transfer. She was shackled at the ankles and wrists with a chain around her waist and learned of the deportation only after boarding the plane. Attorney Todd C. Pomerleau called the arrest unprecedented and said she has been the victim of "character assassination." Her family reported harassment by law enforcement after speaking to the press, and officials said she missed opportunities to contest removal while lawyers say they were trying to stop the transfer.
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