Nigerian Nun in Texas Arrest Sparks Outrage

Outrage followed the arrest and later release of a Nigerian Catholic nun based in the United States, Sister Leticia Ugboaja. She was taken by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers while walking to church in Texas.

PUNCH Metro learned on Wednesday from a report by The Guardian (UK) that 56-year-old Ugboaja is part of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Mercy.

According to The Guardian, she was arrested by ICE officers while heading to Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, close to the US-Mexico border, to attend Mass.

The report highlighted that the incident attracted a lot of attention, leading to intervention from some US Congress members.

Church officials confirmed that Ugboaja serves as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church. A spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, Brenda Riojas, said Ugboaja is also a registered nurse at South Texas Health System.

Before this, she worked for 10 years as a certified nursing assistant at DHR Health in Edinburg, Texas.

Thanks to the intervention of Representative Monica De La Cruz and other lawmakers from South Texas, Ugboaja was released and returned home later on Sunday.

"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 said.

Meanwhile, checks by our correspondent showed that the US Department of Homeland Security and ICE have not publicly commented on the arrest.

Mixed reactions have surfaced since the incident was reported. Some social media users stated that ICE has the right to arrest and detain anyone, regardless of their faith. Others called the agency's actions unjustifiable.

Shara Trierweiler posted on Facebook, "For anyone wondering. She’s a legal permanent resident. She just left her IDs at home since she was walking a few blocks to Mass.

"They approached her and asked for her ID. She did not have it on her, and so she was arrested and detained for nine hours and was only released after several state representatives intervened on her behalf."

Tina Sosa Herrera added, "While the world experiences a shared love and joy for each other right now, I guess ICE needs to detain a nun to ‘balance’ things out."

Rachel Reynolds commented, "Nothing but a profiling arrest. They honestly had no real clue who she was, as she used her nun name. And her features, except her face, were covered."

Another Facebook user, Michael Savino, wrote, "Everyone needs to understand one thing about this administration and their immigration policy. It is based on cruelty first. Stephen Miller wants everyone out, regardless of immigration status or asylum issues. They don’t care how it happens."

Adebayo Olubusola warned against bringing tribalism into the discussion.

"Please don’t add tribalism to this. Don’t add religious sentiments too. Let us learn to stay clear of all that. This terrible government thrives on using these sentiments in public spaces through their data boys. I’m glad she has been released," he wrote.

Another netizen, Adeyinka Johnson, commented, "Americans are not religious extremists. You cannot use religious beliefs to plan evil. I support the precaution of questioning people regardless of their status or background."

The Trump administration continues to face criticism over its immigration enforcement policies.