Sister Leticia Ugboaja, a Catholic nun, was released today after being detained Sunday while walking to Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas.

DHS and ICE have not explained why Sister Leticia was detained in the first place.

The incident prompted outrage from local community leaders. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo) and Monica De La Cruz (R-Edinburg) both issued: “We ask our parish family to please keep this religious Sister Letty in your prayers. Reports indicate that she was detained by ICE while on her way to Sunday Mass.”

De La Cruz’s office worked directly with Homeland Security to arrange her release stating “Our immigration enforcement should target violent criminals. A Catholic nun on her way to church is not a threat to our community.”

Current Democratic nominee Bobby Pulido, who will face off against the Republican De La Cruz in November, posted a Facebook video decrying the incident.

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Brownsville) also issued a statement denouncing Ugboaja’s arrest.

Details of her arrest were scarce but we can confirm she was detained by ICE around 9am Sunday when she was walking to Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas.

Ugboaja is a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy congregation and her arrest further underscores the aggressive immigration crackdown of the current administration and its unintended or intended consequences.

This incident also comes at a time where the administration has publicly squared off against the Holy See. Almost microcosmic.

In general, incidents against Catholic institutions in the mainland USA have been on the rise since 2020 especially after the Supreme Court leak regarding the Roe v Wade revision.