Family Deportation Sparks Claims of Targeting by Immigration Agents
In a shocking and disturbing incident, the family of Any Lucia López Belloza, a 19-year-old college student from Massachusetts, was targeted by immigration agents at their home in Austin, Texas, on Sunday. López Belloza had recently been deported to Honduras while en route to visit her family for Thanksgiving.
According to her father, Francis López, three unmarked vehicles arrived at their home, and one agent, wearing a green vest marked "ERO", stormed into the yard, forcing him to run inside. The agents spent two hours at the house without knocking or attempting to communicate with the family, before leaving.
The family's lawyer, Kristin Etter, described the scene as "surreal" and said that immigration officials "did not have any papers or any warrant out". The family had previously petitioned for asylum but was denied about a decade ago. However, they claim to have never received a deportation order and are now questioning the legitimacy of López Belloza's removal.
The case has raised concerns among local authorities and politicians, with Democratic Congressman Greg Casar stating that the Trump administration is "targeting a college student's family because she spoke out about her unjust treatment by the federal government".
López Belloza herself expressed shock and sadness at the incident, saying: "What happened to me isn't fair. We went there to study and work hard, to move forward in pursuit of that American dream so many of us had." She is currently staying with her grandparents in northern Honduras and plans to continue her studies, either in Honduras or by completing her semester at university.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by undocumented immigrants and their families, who are often caught up in complex and unfair immigration systems. The lack of communication and transparency from immigration authorities has added to the family's distress, leaving them with more questions than answers about López Belloza's removal.
In a shocking and disturbing incident, the family of Any Lucia López Belloza, a 19-year-old college student from Massachusetts, was targeted by immigration agents at their home in Austin, Texas, on Sunday. López Belloza had recently been deported to Honduras while en route to visit her family for Thanksgiving.
According to her father, Francis López, three unmarked vehicles arrived at their home, and one agent, wearing a green vest marked "ERO", stormed into the yard, forcing him to run inside. The agents spent two hours at the house without knocking or attempting to communicate with the family, before leaving.
The family's lawyer, Kristin Etter, described the scene as "surreal" and said that immigration officials "did not have any papers or any warrant out". The family had previously petitioned for asylum but was denied about a decade ago. However, they claim to have never received a deportation order and are now questioning the legitimacy of López Belloza's removal.
The case has raised concerns among local authorities and politicians, with Democratic Congressman Greg Casar stating that the Trump administration is "targeting a college student's family because she spoke out about her unjust treatment by the federal government".
López Belloza herself expressed shock and sadness at the incident, saying: "What happened to me isn't fair. We went there to study and work hard, to move forward in pursuit of that American dream so many of us had." She is currently staying with her grandparents in northern Honduras and plans to continue her studies, either in Honduras or by completing her semester at university.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by undocumented immigrants and their families, who are often caught up in complex and unfair immigration systems. The lack of communication and transparency from immigration authorities has added to the family's distress, leaving them with more questions than answers about López Belloza's removal.