Nun detained by ICE while walking to Mass in Texas is released
Sister Leticia Ugboaja was taken into ICE custody Sunday in McAllen and was back home by Monday, the Diocese of Brownsville said.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
A Catholic nun detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while walking to Mass in South Texas has been released, according to the Diocese of Brownsville. The episode drew attention because it took place near a church at a time when faith communities are responding to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement at houses of worship, the Associated Press reported.
Sister Leticia Ugboaja was walking Sunday to Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, while wearing her habit when ICE officers took her into custody, according to the AP. McAllen sits a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not respond to requests for comment as of Monday, the AP reported.
Church post drew attention
Parish officials posted about Ugboaja’s arrest on social media shortly after it happened, according to the AP. The post spread in the news and helped bring intervention from members of Congress, including U.S. Rep. Monica de la Cruz, the AP reported.
Brenda Riojas, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Brownsville, said members of Congress from South Texas contacted federal officials about the case. By Monday, Riojas said, Ugboaja had returned home.
“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 reported by the AP.
Nun also works in health care
Riojas said Ugboaja belongs to the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and volunteers as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, according to the AP.
Riojas also said Ugboaja is a registered nurse at South Texas Health System. She previously worked for 10 years as a certified nursing assistant at DHR Health in Edinburg, according to the AP.
The AP reported that President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, including enforcement activity at sensitive sites such as houses of worship, has changed how some faith leaders assist church members. Some have encouraged people to attend services online, while others have helped with errands, including grocery shopping, for people afraid to leave home, according to the AP.
The AP did not report any charges or immigration status details involving Ugboaja. Federal agencies had not provided a public explanation for the detention as of Monday, according to the report.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.