A nun detained by immigration authorities last month while walking to Mass in her habit has pleaded for due process for others facing similar uncertainty, stating she is speaking out to help those in precarious situations.
"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," Sister Leticia Ugboaja, a Nigerian national, told a news conference.
Sister Ugboaja was held for several hours by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on June 28.
Her detention occurred as she walked to Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border.
Her arrest gained public attention after parish officials posted about it on social media, leading to intervention from members of Congress.
Her attorney, Carlos Garcia, revealed on Thursday that while an immigration judge denied Sister Ugboaja's asylum application in 2019, she was simultaneously granted protection from removal due to the likelihood of facing torture in Nigeria.
Garcia emphasized that Sister Ugboaja has consistently complied with all requirements and possesses a valid work permit in the U.S.
When ICE officers detained Sister Ugboaja in June, she received little explanation for her custody, only being informed of a U.S. plan to remove her to a third country, according to Garcia.
The Trump administration’s controversial third-country removal policy has drawn criticism from lawyers and human rights organizations and faced legal challenges.
Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor ICE immediately responded to requests for comment on Sister Ugboaja's case on Thursday, nor did they provide statements following her initial detention in June.
Sister Ugboaja is scheduled for a check-in with ICE next week, her lawyer confirmed.
A spokesperson for the Diocese of Brownsville confirmed Sister Ugboaja is a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and volunteered as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows Church.
Beyond her religious duties, she is a registered nurse at South Texas Health System, having previously served for a decade as a certified nursing assistant in Edinburg.
President Donald Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, which has extended to sensitive locations like houses of worship, has forced faith leaders to adapt.
Many now encourage online attendance or offer assistance with errands like grocery shopping for congregants too fearful to leave their homes.
