Texas diocese calls nun's detainment by ICE 'wildly disturbing'

The Catholic Diocese of Brownsville called the detention of a nun who was walking to Sunday Mass by Immigration and Customs Enforcement "wildly disturbing."

According to Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Sister Leticia Ugbaoja was detained by ICE while on her way to church.

Sister Letty's detention garnered a bipartisan outcry from Reps. Henry Cuellar and Monica De La Cruz who each said they spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and border czar Tom Homan to arrange her release Sunday night.

Cuellar said on social media that he spoke directly with Ugboja on Monday.

What they're saying:

"I appreciated the opportunity to hear from her directly, and I am grateful she is safe," Cuellar said. "Sister Letty has served the South Texas community through her faith, her work, and her care for others, and I appreciate her strength during this difficult moment."

The Diocese of Brownsville said it was continuing to look into the circumstances surrounding Ugboaja's detainment.

"Sister Letty is a well-known source of goodness and hope in our community, and I am grateful she has been released. There are many questions remaining about the circumstances surrounding Sister Letty’s arrest and detention. 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," Bishop Daniel Flores said.

According to the Diocese, Ugboaja has worked in the Rio Grande Valley for more than ten years and currently volunteers as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows and works as a registered nurse at South Texas Health System. 

The Diocese thanked the community for its support and the response from local representatives to arrange her release.

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