ICE detains Texas-based religious sister on her way to Mass, releases her several hours later
Sister Leticia Ugboaja, a Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy sister, was detained by ICE while walking to Sunday Mass in McAllen, Texas, on June 28, 2026. The detention lasted several hours before she was released after intervention by U.S. congressional representatives, including Rep. Monica De La Cruz. Sister Leticia serves as a registered nurse and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows Church and is part of a congregation founded in Nigeria. Local clergy, the Diocese of Brownsville, and the community expressed gratitude for the swift release and support from lawmakers.
3 months ago
A Texas‑based religious sister, Sister Leticia Ugboaja of the Nigerian congregation Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while walking to Sunday Mass in McAllen and released a few hours later after congressional intervention; the incident has sparked prayers, community concern, and calls for immigration‑policy reform. 1
Sister Leticia Ugboaja, a registered nurse and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, was stopped by ICE agents on June 28, 2026 as she left her home to attend Mass. 1
Republican Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz contacted Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and the sister was freed from custody after several hours. 1
The Diocese of Brownsville and Bishop Daniel E. Flores thanked local officials for the swift action and described the detention as “wildly disturbing” and in need of reform. 1
Democratic Congressman Vicente Gonzalez condemned the episode as a result of “hyper‑aggressive immigration policies.” 1
Following news of the detention, parishioners and religious sisters gathered to pray for Sister Leticia’s release, believing the “power of prayer” played a decisive role. 2
Sister Rose Patrice Kuhn, who works with migrants along the border, reported that many congregants waited outside the sister’s home, expressing both relief at her freedom and heightened anxiety among foreign‑born religious workers. 2
She noted that numerous sisters in the Rio Grande Valley, many on long‑term visas, now fear similar detentions, recalling the legacy of mass‑deportation policies from the Trump era and the current strain on immigration courts. 2
The incident highlights tensions between immigration enforcement and religious freedom, prompting calls from church leaders for policy changes that target violent criminals rather than peaceful worshippers. 1 2
Local lawmakers’ rapid involvement underscores the political sensitivity of immigration actions affecting faith communities in border regions. 1*
Investigate Catholic Church’s stance on immigration enforcement
The Catholic Church does not treat immigration enforcement as an issue of “doing whatever maximizes deterrence.” Instead, it teaches that nations have a real right (and duty) to regulate entry and maintain public safety, but that enforcement must be exercised justly and humanely, with due process, respect for the dignity of every person, and a preference for policies that protect families and use detention only when necessary to protect public safety.
Catholic social teaching affirms that governments may control borders to uphold the common good. The USCCB explicitly notes this teaching and grounds it in the Catechism: political authorities may regulate entry under “various juridical conditions” and may pursue the rule of law, including the sovereignty of a state to “uphold its borders.”
However, the same source stresses that this border-control right is “not unlimited.” It must be balanced with:
This “balance” is also emphasized by Pope Francis in a 2025 letter to U.S. bishops. He recognizes a nation’s right to defend itself and keep communities safe from those who have committed violent or serious crimes—but he simultaneously condemns approaches that equate “illegal status” with criminality and that inflict severe harm on vulnerable families.
A common misunderstanding is that Catholic teaching means either no enforcement at all or an enforcement-only approach focused mainly on deterrence and punishment. The USCCB answers directly:
In Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (USCCB), the bishops frame the issue through a Gospel obligation to “welcome the stranger,” explicitly including those authorized and unauthorized—and they call for comprehensive immigration reform rather than policies that treat enforcement as the only goal.
Pope Francis argues that an authentic rule of law is measured by the dignified treatment of all people, especially the poorest and marginalized.
So the Church’s position is not merely “more or less enforcement,” but whether enforcement is conducted in a way that respects rights, avoids discrimination, and does not treat migration status as automatically criminal.
A very concrete Church teaching concerns immigration detention.
The USCCB states that the detention of immigrants should be used “to protect public safety” and “not for purposes of deterrence or punishment.” It adds that alternatives to detention, including community-based programs, should be emphasized.
From a Catholic perspective, detention is morally and pastorally limited. If a policy’s primary purpose is to frighten people into not seeking asylum or migrating irregularly, the Church regards that as incompatible with justice.
The USCCB also supports immigration court reforms and legal orientation programs—consistent with the view that enforcement must operate inside a fair system, not outside it.
Catholics do not have a blanket position of “always oppose border security.” The USCCB clarifies that it “maintains no blanket policy of opposing all measures designed to increase border security,” but rather it weighs and assesses each proposal against Catholic moral principles.
In a separate Hill message, the USCCB similarly condemns proposals that pair sharp increases in immigration enforcement spending with severe reductions to programs that aid the vulnerable—calling such budget strategies “profoundly troubling.”
And in its guidance for “Dreamers,” the bishops again restate the balance:
Pope Francis addresses deportation directly in the 2025 letter:
Pope Francis also argues that policies must not build the common good by “privilege of some and the sacrifice of others,” and he warns that what is built on force rather than truth about equal dignity “begins badly and will end badly.”
The USCCB ties Catholic moral reasoning to concrete rights in immigration systems, including due process protections, access to legal protections, and refuge for those fleeing persecution and violence.
It also distinguishes irregular migration from a failure of morality in itself:
So, Catholic teaching does not frame asylum-seeking and forced migration as simply “rule-breaking.” It frames them as a human rights and protection question, especially when the circumstances preclude safe or timely legal entry.
Catholic concerns are not limited to the “headline” issue of enforcement; they also address how enforcement interacts with ministry and caregiving.
In a 2020 USCCB letter about forms for the release of unaccompanied children from ORR custody, USCCB/MRS expresses concern about provisions that could connect release processes to local law enforcement, including whether this would involve cooperation with ICE.
The stated worry is that this could:
From the Catholic perspective presented in this document, even when the state has enforcement authority, the implementation must avoid practices that undermine the ability of vulnerable persons—especially children—to receive safe placement and family reunification.
The USCCB also takes an institutional stance against a particular kind of enforcement escalation: using the military for civil immigration enforcement.
In 2025 budget reconciliation correspondence, it says it “strongly reject[s] efforts that blur the lines” between specially trained civil immigration enforcement and “military action,” and it asks Congress to prevent Department of Defense resources from being used for interdiction and detention of noncitizens in the United States.
This reflects a broader Catholic principle: the state may pursue justice and safety, but it must do so in ways that remain civil, proportionate, and aligned with human dignity, rather than escalating conflict dynamics through military tools.
Putting these sources together, the Church’s stance can be summarized as follows:
The Catholic Church’s stance on immigration enforcement therefore is neither permissive nor punitive by default: it is morally conditional, requiring that any enforcement be ordered to the common good through justice, due process, and protection of the vulnerable.