Can I safely travel by airline, domestically?” I am regularly asked that question by people who are in the process of getting their green card but who have fallen out of status for one reason or another. In the past, domestic flight was relatively risk-free, however under the Trump administration, I would caution anyone who is out of status. Though international travel was always monitored, it is fair to conclude that the Trump administration is monitoring domestic flights as well.

The November 26, 2025, Boston Globe carried the story of Ana Lucia Lopez Belloza, a college freshman, who was traveling from Massachusetts to her home in Texas, so purely domestic travel, but was detained and then quickly deported before her family knew what happened. Unfortunately, she was unaware that, an immigration judge had, at least according to the DHS, entered an order of removal for her back in 2017, when she was a minor.

So be careful out there. Before traveling it might be a good idea to run your A# through the EOIR automated case status system to see if there is an order of removal you’re unaware of.

I hope she can make it back into the U.S. to be reunited with her family soon!

UPDATE: According to ABC, a federal court ordered the government not to remove  Lopez Belloza but the government appears to have ignored the court’s order and removed her anyway. Hopefully, this means her attorney will be able to get her brought back to the United States quickly.