Nun Detained by ICE En Route to Church Breaks Silence, Begged Officers to Let Her Receive Communion

The Texas nun who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last month while on her way to church has broken her silence.

Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, brought attention to the matter in a June 28 Facebook post that said Sister Leticia Ugboaja — who was released shortly thereafter — had a run-in with ICE.

“Honestly, in that moment, I did not understand what was going on, what was happening to me,” Ugboaja said at a news conference at the church on Thursday, July 23, the Associated Press reported.

Her attorney, Carlos M. Garcia, explained her application for asylum was denied by an immigration judge in 2019 but that she was granted protection from removal to Nigeria because she’d likely be tortured there.

Garcia said, per the AP, that U.S. authorities intended to remove the nun — who is also a registered nurse with South Texas Health System — to a third country despite having permission to work in the U.S.

“There are many others in this same situation, people who have been given some form of protection under our laws, who have followed every rule asked of them, and who still live with uncertainty,” Ugboaja said at the press conference.

As Ugboaja was taken into custody by ICE, she said she begged officers to allow her to attend Sunday mass and receive Holy Communion. “For me, a nun, not to go to Mass on Sunday, not to receive Communion, it was very, very heartbreaking,” she said.

The Associated Press previously reported that Ugboaja was dressed in her habit as she was en route to the South Texas church, which is a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

After Ugboaja was detained, Rep. Monica de la Cruz said she spoke with United States Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and had things sorted.

“I’m pleased to announce that Sister Letty will be coming home,” said De la Cruz. “My office worked closely with the Department of Homeland Security, and I’m grateful they acted to resolve this quickly. Thank you to everyone who kept her in their prayers. God is good.”

While Ugboaja is grateful she had help getting released, she said at the recent press conference that “does not mean I can stay quiet about what happened to me.”