The Daily Populous Wednesday July 1st, 2026 morning edition
Authored by nbcnews.com and submitted by PDXAirman

McALLEN, Texas — A nun was released from immigration custody after she was arrested walking to Mass in her habit in South Texas.

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Sister Leticia Ugboaja was walking to Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, just a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, on Sunday when she was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

The Department of Homeland Security and ICE have not responded to a request for comment since Sunday.

Parish officials posted a message on social media shortly after the arrest that gained traction in the news and led to Congress members including U.S. Rep. Monica de la Cruz intervening on Ugboaja’s behalf.

The nun is part of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and volunteered as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, according to Brenda Riojas, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Brownsville.

Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, on Monday. Valerie Gonzalez / AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez

Ugboaja is also a registered nurse at South Texas Health System and worked previously for 10 years as a certified nursing assistant at DHR Health in Edinburg, Riojas confirmed.

Members of Congress representing South Texas intervened with federal officials. As of Monday, Ugboaja was back in her home.

“We are grateful for the quick response of local representatives who reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to get her released from custody,” Riojas added in her statement.

President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown — including at sensitive sites such as houses of worship — has prompted faith leaders to adjust their response to church members who have become too afraid to attend. Some have encouraged online attendance, while others have offered help doing errands such as grocery shopping for people too fearful to leave their homes.

wee_idjit on June 30th, 2026 at 14:45 UTC »

Reading between the lines, she took communion to people who are afraid to leave their homes because of ICE. That's what Extraordinary Minister of Communion does, takes communion to the sick, home-bound, etc. So she was being punished for ministering to ICE's victims. This administration is scum.

I_like_baseball90 on June 30th, 2026 at 14:14 UTC »

All I ask is for consequences for ALL this bullshit when there's a new president in 29.

3Gloins_in_afountain on June 30th, 2026 at 13:56 UTC »

ICE idiots probably thought it was a hijab.