safety
Catholic bishop seeks information on ‘wildly disturbing’ ICE arrest of nun walking to South Texas church
By Guest Contributor at Odessa American (oaoa.com)
· June 30, 2026
· 4 min read
Sister Leticia “Letty” Ugboaja was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in McAllen. (Photo from social media)
By Alex Nguyen, The Texas Tribune
The Catholic Diocese of Brownsville is working to gather information on Sunday’s arrest of a nun as she was walking to church i...
Key takeaway Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials detained Sister Leticia “Letty” Ugboaja, a 56-year-old nun from Nigeria, and released her later Sunday after South Texas members of Congress intervened.
Why this matters in The Odessa
The arrest of Sister Leticia Ugboaja in McAllen raises concerns about the impact of federal immigration enforcement on local communities in the Permian Basin area. As a registered nurse who has worked in South Texas for around a decade, Ugboaja's detention highlights the potential consequences of strict enforcement protocols on individuals who contribute to the local healthcare system. The fact that she was detained while walking to church, a short distance from her home, underscores the need for clarity on how federal agents interact with residents in the Midland-Odessa area. The involvement of local lawmakers, such as U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, demonstrates the importance of congressional oversight in ensuring that enforcement actions are fair and reasonable. The community will be watching to see how the Department of Homeland Security responds to calls for an investigation into Ugboaja's arrest and whether reforms will be implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future.
About this story
Original reporting by Odessa American (oaoa.com) . The Odessa surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit Odessa American (oaoa.com) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: safety ·
Published: June 30, 2026 ·
Source: Odessa American (oaoa.com) ·
Reading time: 4 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Sister Leticia “Letty” Ugboaja was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in McAllen. (Photo from social media)
By Alex Nguyen, The Texas Tribune
The Catholic Diocese of Brownsville is working to gather information on Sunday’s arrest of a nun as she was walking to church i...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 30, 2026 by Odessa American (oaoa.com) and curated for The Odessa readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Guest Contributor at Odessa American (oaoa.com). To learn more about how The Odessa selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more safety coverage from The Odessa, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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