A Nigerian Catholic nun, Sister Leticia Ugboaja, has been released from the custody of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after she was detained while walking to church in McAllen, Texas.

Ugboaja, 56, is a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and was arrested on Sunday as she made her way to Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, near the US-Mexico border, to attend Mass.

The church disclosed the incident in a statement and on social media, drawing widespread attention and prompting intervention from several members of the US Congress, including Representative Monica De La Cruz, who represents South Texas.

Church officials said Ugboaja serves as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows Church.

According to Brenda Riojas, spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, Ugboaja is also a registered nurse at South Texas Health System and previously worked for 10 years as a certified nursing assistant at DHR Health in Edinburg, Texas.

Following interventions by De La Cruz and other lawmakers, Ugboaja was released later on Sunday and returned home.

“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.

As of Sunday, neither the Department of Homeland Security nor ICE had publicly explained the circumstances surrounding the arrest.

The incident comes amid heightened immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration, including operations in locations traditionally considered sensitive, such as places of worship.