The Catholic Diocese of Brownsville is gathering information about the Sunday arrest of a Nigerian-born religious sister who was detained by federal immigration agents while walking to Mass at a McAllen, Texas, church — an incident that drew swift condemnation from the local bishop, members of Congress from both parties, and civil rights organizations.

Sister Leticia “Letty” Ugboaja, 56, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy, was stopped by ICE agents before she could reach Our Lady of Sorrows Church, where she attends Mass. She lives approximately one block from the parish. Agents detained and handcuffed her, and she was taken to the El Valle Detention Facility in Raymondville — roughly an hour’s drive from McAllen. While in custody, she reportedly was not allowed access to medication she needed.

Bishop Flores Calls for Reform

Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville responded with unusually direct language, saying the diocese is working to understand what happened. He did not hold back in his assessment of the broader enforcement practices on display.

“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 Flores said.

His statement pointedly extended concern beyond Sister Ugboaja herself, reflecting a consistent thread in Catholic social teaching: that the dignity owed to a consecrated religious sister is the same dignity owed to any person made in the image and likeness of God.

Congressional Intervention Secured Release

Sister Ugboaja was released the same day after members of the South Texas congressional delegation contacted the Department of Homeland Security. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, a Republican from Edinburg, communicated directly with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin on the sister’s behalf. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from Laredo, also contacted the department. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat representing McAllen, criticized the detention publicly on social media.

“A Catholic nun on her way to church is not a threat to our community,” De La Cruz said.

Sister Ugboaja walked out of the El Valle Detention Facility in tears. She declined to speak with reporters on the advice of her legal counsel.

A Decade of Service in South Texas

Sister Ugboaja had lived and worked in the Rio Grande Valley for approximately a decade, serving the community as a registered nurse. Her congregation, the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy, is a religious institute with roots in Nigeria that has apostolates in healthcare and education.

The arrest took place on a Sunday morning as she made what would ordinarily be a short walk to worship. Federal agents intercepted her before she reached the church doors.

The League of United Latin American Citizens called for a formal investigation into the circumstances of the arrest. The Department of Homeland Security had not responded to questions about the matter as of the time news reports were filed.

Broader Questions of Enforcement and Religious Liberty

The incident arrives amid a period of intensified interior immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. While enforcement priorities and legal questions surrounding Sister Ugboaja’s immigration status have not been fully disclosed publicly, the manner of the arrest — stopping a woman in religious habit on a public street while she walked to Sunday Mass, then transporting her to a detention facility an hour away without access to medication — has raised concerns that go beyond any single case.

Catholic social teaching consistently affirms both the legitimate authority of states to regulate borders and the fundamental rights of every human person, including the right to practice one’s faith freely. The Catechism of the Catholic Church holds that civil authorities are bound to respect the basic rights and dignity of all persons under their jurisdiction, regardless of legal status.

The Diocese of Brownsville said it is continuing to gather the facts of the case. It was not immediately clear whether Sister Ugboaja’s immigration status had been formally adjudicated or whether any removal proceedings were underway. The intervention of elected officials secured her release, but the underlying legal questions remain unresolved.

Bishop Flores’s statement suggested the diocese intends to remain engaged as the situation develops.

Category: Public Life