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

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

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.