ICE Scooped Up 'Sister Letty' as She Walked to Mass

A Catholic nun in Texas detained by immigration agents on her way to Sunday Mass is back home, but questions about why she was picked up remain unanswered. Sister Leticia Ugboaja, dressed in her habit and walking to church in McAllen, Texas, near the US-Mexico border, was taken into custody by ICE and later released after local outrage and political pressure, reports the Independent. Homeland Security and ICE haven't explained the detention.

Her case drew swift attention after parish officials posted about it online, prompting intervention from South Texas lawmakers, including Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz, who argued immigration enforcement should focus on violent offenders, not churchgoing nuns. Ugboaja, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy, volunteers at Our Lady of Sorrows Church and also works as a registered nurse in the area. She was in custody for about nine hours, reports the San Antonio Express-News, citing info from De La Cruz's office. "Thank you to everyone who kept her in their prayers," De La Cruz wrote on Facebook in announcing the release of "Sister Letty."

Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar says Ugboaja was released after he reached out to new DHS chief Markwayne Mullin and so-called border czar Tom Homan. A diocesan spokesperson thanked local representatives for helping secure her release, per the Independent. Local Democrat Bobby Pulido, who's running against De La Cruz in this year's general election, said Ugboaja is in the country legally but lacked the proper documents when stopped. He warned that others are being detained "needlessly" based on their appearance or speech. "Please, this has to stop," he implored. The AP notes that some faith leaders have urged churchgoers afraid to leave their homes to attend services online and to let volunteers do things like grocery shopping for them.