‘I Thought I Was Going To Church, Not Jail’ — Nigerian Catholic Nun Speaks After ICE Arrest During Mass In Texas

‘I Thought I Was Going To Church, Not Jail’ — Nigerian Catholic Nun Speaks After ICE Arrest During Mass In Texas

A Nigerian Catholic nun, Sister Leticia Ugboaja, has broken her silence after she was detained by officers of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while walking to Sunday Mass in Texas, describing the experience as terrifying and calling for greater protection for immigrants who have complied with the law.

Ugboaja spoke publicly for the first time on Thursday during a press conference at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, nearly a month after she was arrested by ICE officers on June 28 while heading to church near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Recounting the incident, the 56-year-old nun said she was dressed in her religious habit, carrying only her rosary and mobile phone, and reflecting on the day’s Bible readings when two armed officers approached her.

“Honestly, in that moment, I did not understand what was going on, what was happening to me,” Ugboaja said.

According to her lawyer, Carlos M. Garcia, Ugboaja has lived in the United States under legal protection for years after an immigration judge ruled in 2019 that she could not be deported to Nigeria because she was likely to face torture if returned.

Although her asylum application was denied, the judge granted her protection from removal, allowing her to remain in the United States.

Garcia said she has consistently complied with all immigration requirements and has legal authorisation to work in the country as a nurse.

Ugboaja was released several hours after her arrest. Her case gained national attention after officials of Our Lady of Sorrows Church publicised the incident on social media, prompting members of the U.S. Congress to intervene on her behalf.

The incident occurred amid an intensified immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump’s administration, which has prioritised mass deportations and expanded immigration enforcement operations across the United States.

Ugboaja, who is expected to report for another ICE check-in appointment on Tuesday, said she decided to speak publicly not only because of her own experience but also to draw attention to the plight of others facing similar circumstances.

“There are many others in this same situation, people who have been given some form of protection under our laws, who have followed every rule asked of them, and who still live with uncertainty,” she said.

While expressing gratitude to those who supported her release, Ugboaja insisted she could not remain silent.

“That does not mean I can stay quiet about what happened to me, or about what is still happening to others,” she added.

Her lawyer reiterated that despite having legal protection against deportation and complying with all immigration obligations, Ugboaja was still taken into custody while simply making her way to worship, raising fresh concerns over the treatment of immigrants with lawful protections under US immigration laws.

Culled from SaharaReporters