Sister Leticia Ugboaja, a nun dressed in her religious habit, was walking to Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas on Sunday morning to attend Mass when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained her. The incident sparked quick responses from local lawmakers and community leaders, leading to her release by Sunday evening. The detention raised questions about immigration enforcement practices near sensitive locations such as houses of worship, which has become an increasingly controversial issue under the Trump administration.
The nun, known as Sister Letty, was detained at approximately 9 a.m. Sunday while walking to the church, which is located just a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. She is part of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy congregation and serves as a volunteer Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at the parish. Church officials announced her detention through a social media post Sunday afternoon, describing her as a religious sister and asking the parish family to keep her in their prayers.
The announcement of her detention quickly gained traction online and prompted intervention from multiple members of Congress. U.S. Rep. Monica de la Cruz, a Republican representing Texas’s 15th Congressional District, spoke directly with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin about the case. De La Cruz stated that she had worked closely with the Department of Homeland Security and expressed gratitude for their swift resolution. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from Texas’s 28th District, also intervened after communicating with DHS Secretary Mullin and Tom Homan. Cuellar announced that the order had been given for Ugboaja to be released that day rather than the following day, allowing her to be home Sunday night.
U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat representing Texas’s 34th Congressional District, issued a sharp criticism of the detention, characterizing it as reflective of what he called the Trump administration’s “hyperaggressive immigration policies.” He said the detention represented a departure from the stated focus on criminal deportations, stating the targeting of a nun on her way to church was not in line with the stated goal of detaining and deporting criminals.
Beyond her religious role, Ugboaja works as a registered nurse at South Texas Health System. She previously worked for a decade as a certified nursing assistant at DHR Health in Edinburg. Community members have praised her dedication and compassion in her healthcare work. According to her medical colleagues, she has made a significant impact on patients and their families throughout the Rio Grande Valley. One family member reported that Ugboaja’s assistance helped a patient who was unable to walk begin physical and occupational therapy and eventually regain the ability to walk.
According to U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s office, Ugboaja does have legal immigration paperwork in order, though his office had not yet seen the documentation firsthand at the time of the incident. The Nigerian-born nun has spent nearly a decade serving the Rio Grande Valley. The Diocese of Brownsville expressed gratitude for the swift intervention by local representatives who helped secure her release from custody.
The incident occurs against a broader backdrop of heightened tensions between the Trump administration and faith communities over immigration enforcement practices. The Trump administration has rescinded a longstanding federal policy that previously discouraged immigration raids at sensitive locations, including houses of worship. This change has prompted multiple lawsuits from religious organizations claiming their religious freedom rights have been violated. Federal courts have begun issuing rulings that restrict the scope of enforcement actions near some houses of worship, though these protections do not apply universally to all religious institutions.
The detention of Ugboaja reflects growing concerns within faith communities about the scope of immigration enforcement. Sister Norma Pimentel, the Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, expressed concern about the incident. She contacted ICE to seek information about why Ugboaja had been detained, but reported that she had not received a callback from the agency. Pimentel raised the possibility that priests and nuns might feel compelled to carry immigration documents with them to prove their legal status.
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE have not responded to requests for comment regarding the reasons for Ugboaja’s detention or the circumstances surrounding her release. The incident highlights the ongoing tension between immigration enforcement priorities and the traditions of sanctuary that have historically been respected at houses of worship.
By Monday, Ugboaja was back in her home. Brenda Riojas, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Brownsville, stated that the church was grateful for the quick response from local representatives who intervened with the Department of Homeland Security to secure her release from custody.