ICE arrest of nun in southern Texas spurs bipartisan concern

Key Points:

• Sister Leticia “Letty” Ugboaja, a 56-year-old Catholic nun from Nigeria, was arrested by ICE agents in McAllen, Texas, while walking to Sunday Mass, sparking bipartisan outrage and calls for her immediate release.
• Lawmakers from both parties, including Rep. Monica De La Cruz, Rep. Henry Cuellar, and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, condemned the arrest and emphasized that immigration enforcement should focus on violent criminals rather than community members like Ugboaja.
• Ugboaja was released the same day after high-level intervention, with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Tom Homan ordering her release, highlighting concerns over immigration enforcement priorities along the Texas border.
• The incident reflects ongoing tensions and political interventions in controversial ICE cases in Texas, where lawmakers frequently challenge aggressive immigration enforcement policies under the Trump administration.
• The Diocese of Brownsville confirmed Ugboaja’s decade-long service in Texas hospitals and her membership in the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy, while political opponents have used the case to criticize immigration policies ahead of upcoming elections.