There has been public outcry after a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy, Sister Leticia (“Letty”) Ugboaja, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while walking to Mass in her habit in McAllen, Texas. She was released from detainment on Sunday but ordered to report back to ICE on July 28.
The circumstances of the nun’s detention remain unclear, as neither the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) nor ICE has released an official statement regarding the matter. In attempting to clarify the circumstances under which Sister Letty was detained, the Dialog reports that the diocese “advised OSV News that Sister Leticia was not available for an interview on advice of her legal counsel” and another nun and friend, Sister Rose, “citing the same reason, also declined to provide specific details regarding Sister Leticia’s hours in immigration detention.”
The 56 year-old nun was detained on Sunday and released approximately nine hours later, during which time Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Edinburg) and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo) both announced they had reached out to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin regarding the detainment.
According to Brenda Riojas, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Brownsville, Sister Letty is a registered nurse at South Texas Health System and spent a decade working as a certified nursing assistant at DHR Health, a hospital in Edinburg, Texas.
Although various reports claim Riojas said Sister Letty had entered the United States legally, it is unclear if the nun was still legally present.
Sister Norma Pimentel, a friend of Sister Letty, was advocating for her behalf on Sunday and trying to call the detention facility for more information. According to the Texas Tribune, when lawmakers announced that Sister Letty was being released, “[t]he news prompted Pimentel to stop searching for documents showing Ugboaba was in the United States legally and instead rush to the El Valle Detention Facility to welcome Ugboaja home.”
According to El Pais, Riojas has stated that lawyers are reviewing Sister Letty’s case and that she has been advised to refrain from giving interviews. Further, following her release from detainment, Sister Letty was given an order to appear before ICE on July 28, according to Pimentel.
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