Texas Nun Protected from Torture Speaks Out Following ICE Border Arrest
Sister Leticia Ugboaja, a Nigerian Catholic nun and registered nurse living in South Texas, publicly addressed her June arrest by federal immigration agents on Thursday, criticizing aggressive federal enforcement efforts that target non-citizens who hold official legal protections against deportation.
Speaking at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, the 56-year-old religious sister described being approached by two armed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on June 28 while walking to Sunday Mass in her religious habit. She was carrying only her cellphone and a rosary when she was taken into custody near the U.S.-Mexico border.
Ugboaja was released several hours later following swift social media alerts from local church members and direct intervention by members of Congress. Despite her release, she faces an official check-in with immigration authorities on Tuesday and spoke out to raise awareness for others navigating similar legal complexities.
Although an immigration judge rejected her asylum request in 2019, the court granted her protection from removal to Nigeria under international protections aligned with the Convention Against Torture, finding she faced a clear threat of severe harm if returned to her home country. Under U.S. immigration law, deferral or withholding of removal under human rights treaties prohibits the federal government from deporting an individual to a specific nation. However, it does not confer permanent legal residency, requiring recipients to maintain work authorization and comply with ongoing reporting schedules.
Ugboaja’s attorney, Carlos M. Garcia, revealed that ICE officers offered minimal explanation during the arrest but indicated plans to deport her to a third country—a controversial mechanism increasingly utilized under expanded border enforcement directives. Third-country removals allow the government to deport non-citizens to nations other than their country of origin. Civil rights organizations and legal advocacy groups have heavily challenged these agreements, arguing they bypass due process and expose vulnerable individuals to secondary risks in foreign jurisdictions without adequate legal or social support systems.
A member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy order, Ugboaja has resided in the region for years, working as a healthcare professional. According to the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, she serves as a registered nurse at South Texas Health System, having previously worked a decade as a certified nursing assistant in nearby Edinburg. She also volunteers as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows.
Reflecting on her detention, Ugboaja recounted pleading with agents to allow her to attend Sunday services, a request that was denied. The Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not issue statements regarding the incident or the specific legal justification for her initial detention.
