Nigerian nun detained by ICE while walking to Mass in Texas, later released

A Nigerian Catholic nun was detained June 28 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while walking to Sunday Mass near the U.S.-Mexico border and released later that day after congressional intervention, according to multiple reports.

Sister Leticia “Letty” Ugboaja, 56, a nurse who has served in the Rio Grande Valley for nearly a decade, was walking about one block from her home to Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, when ICE agents detained her, according to The Texas Tribune. She was released later that day after federal lawmakers contacted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS and ICE have not publicly explained why Sister Ugboaja was detained. 

“There are many questions remaining about the circumstances surrounding Sister Letty’s arrest and detention,” Bishop Daniel E. Flores of the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, said in a statement shared by the Tribune. “For now, it is clear that Homeland Security enforcement protocols that make it possible for a religious sister, or anyone, to be detained and handcuffed while peacefully walking to Church on a Sunday morning are wildly disturbing and need to be reformed.”

The Tribune reported that the diocese is now “working to gather information” about the incident.

According to the Tribune, Sister Norma Pimentel, who leads Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, said Sister Ugboaja called for help while in custody and said federal agents were transferring her to an ICE detention facility in Raymondville, Texas, about an hour from the church. Sister Pimentel also told the outlet that federal agents did not allow Sister Ugboaja to retrieve medication she needed. 

“She was very distraught and scared, and didn’t understand what was happening,” Sister Pimentel told the Tribune June 28.

In a June 28 Facebook post, Our Lady of Sorrows Church called for prayers for Sister Ugboaja’s “safety, peace, and strength during this difficult time.” 

“We hope for a swift and just resolution that allows her to be released soon,” the church said.

U.S. Reps. Monica De La Cruz, a Republican, and Henry Cuellar, a Democrat, both of Texas, said in separate social media posts June 28 that they were communicating with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin about the situation. 

De La Cruz said in an X post that she had raised the issue “to the highest levels” and would provide more information as it became available. In a separate Facebook post, she said “immigration enforcement should target violent criminals” and that a “Catholic nun on her way to church is not a threat to our community.”

Cuellar announced in an X post around 5:30 p.m. that Sister Ugboaja was “on her way home.”

“My office stayed engaged with the Department of Homeland Security throughout this process, and I appreciate everyone who helped make this possible,” Cuellar said. “Thank you to all who kept her in your prayers. We’re thankful for this good news.”