Reverend Sister Leticia Ugboaja, a Nigerian nun and member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy, was released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody on Monday, June 29, one day after Congress members intervened on her behalf. She had been arrested while walking to Sunday Mass near the U.S.–Mexico border in south Texas.
Arrest While Walking to Mass
Sister Ugboaja was wearing her religious habit and walking to Our Lady of Sorrows church in McAllen, Texas, just a few miles from the US-Mexico border, when ICE officers detained her, according to a statement from the church on social media. The incident occurred on Sunday, June 28.
Brenda Riojas, a spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, confirmed that Ugboaja served as an extraordinary minister of holy communion at Our Lady of Sorrows. She is also a registered nurse at South Texas Health System and previously worked for 10 years as a certified nursing assistant at DHR Health in Edinburg, Texas.
Congressional Intervention Leads to Release
Social media posts by church officials shortly after her arrest gained traction, prompting U.S. House member Monica De La Cruz, a Republican representing south Texas, along with other House members, to intervene with federal officials. On Monday, June 29, Ugboaja was released from the fenced ICE facility.
A video of her release shows her crying as she exits the facility. A woman hugs her before she gets into a car and is driven away. “We are grateful for the quick response of local representatives who reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to get her released from custody,” Riojas said in a statement.
Context of Immigration Crackdown
The arrest occurred amid an immigration crackdown during Donald Trump’s second presidency, which has included enforcement at sensitive sites such as houses of worship. This has prompted faith leaders to adjust their response, with some encouraging online attendance and others offering help with errands like grocery shopping for people too fearful to leave their homes.
