Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Politics and Religion
The Cruelty Of ICE Highlighted By Sister Leticia’s Arrest

The Cruelty Of ICE Highlighted By Sister Leticia’s Arrest

Last updated on: July 6, 2026 at 1:59 pm by Henry Karlson

0 Comments

The Cruelty Of ICE Highlighted By Sister Leticia’s Arrest 2026-07-06T13:59:57-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement: ICE / Wikimedia Commons

On Sunday June 28, Sister Leticia Ugboaja, from Nigeria, was walking, while wearing her habit, going to Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, when she was picked up and detained by ICE Agents. She is a sister from the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy congregation, and is a nurse who worked in the South Texas Health System. The reason why she was detained, it appears, is because she did not have her identity papers on her on her. She did have her rosary, which was taken from her. While she was quickly released, because of the complaints given by both Republicans and Democrats, I don’t think we should ignore what happened. Her detainment is an indication of what ICE is about, and how they harass and hurt innocents all the time.

Sister Leticia Ugboaja is legally in the United States. She is a religious sister, which would have been obvious to the ICE agents who picked her up. She is a nurse. And, of course, she is a woman. In her, and what happened to her, we see a microcosm of the problems surrounding ICE and its activities: They do not respect women, they do not respect religion, and they do not respect foreign-born individuals living and working in the United States, even if they are here “legally” (especially as Trump constantly tries to change the status of those who are here legally, so that those who have done everything right, those followed all the laws, find their fortunes changed in one day, quickly picked up and deported as soon as he has done so). ICE not only hurts those who they take into custody, but society as a whole. By taking her in, they removed her from the public sphere, that is they removed someone who is a nurse, someone who is giving far more to the public, doing far more to promote the common good, than ICE agents themselves (or those who support such agents). What happened to her shows us what happens when a government resort to fascist practices, such as requiring anyone who looks foreign to have identity papers on them all the time). Innocent people will be, and are hurt, by such practices, but ICE and their supporters do not care, because it seems that.cruelty is the point. They believe this is how they are to keep the public under control, making them all afraid of how they will be treated. I do think Sister Leticia’s religious status, the fact she was going to church and still taken in by ICE, shows us that ICE has no care or concern for religion, for religious liberty (and if there is any question to this, all we have to do is look at how they took her rosary). It seems that for them, and their supporters, religion has value only as a Machiavellian tool; they support religion as long as it is useful for them, but they will quickly ignore religious needs when they gets in the way of their abuse (as seen, not only in the way ICE neglects the religious needs of those they have taken in, but also the way they treat clergy in general).

For anyone paying attention, and understanding what was going on, it has been obvious that Trump’s merciless agenda against those who are foreign born, an agenda which includes those with green cards as well as those who are naturalized citizens, will have a grave impact on the United States. Showing mercy, helping immigrants, allows them not only to have a place in society, but to contribute to the common good, which we know they do, not only because many immigrants work on farms, or in the construction industry, but many others work in the health care system, in the sciences, and even in academia. Everytime there is a significant presence of foreign-born workers which are detained or attacked by ICE, we quickly find the diminishment of their contribution to society rebounding and adversely affecting the United States in general. The loss of farm workers means our food supply is put into jeopardy. The loss of construction workers means everything from roads to homes are not getting fixed (or built). And the loss of health care workers, like nurses, has undermined our health care system, which will eventually break, leaving countless Americans without the means to get quality health care in a timely fashion (and this is on top of the destruction that is going to happen to the health care system when hospitals loose the funding they received via Medicaid).

When cruelty is the point, we should not be be surprised with the repercussions. Christian Scripture, and the Christian tradition, point this out time and time again, such as in the way the prophets warned the leaders of Israel the consequence they face for not showing mercy and care to those in need, including to foreigners. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is representative of those consequences, as it shows what happens to societies which are so prideful, nationalistic, and greedy, they become cruel and hateful to foreigners – such societies will collapse upon themselves. This, I fear, is what will happen to the United States in the near future if it does not put to an end and fix the harm caused by its xenophobia and nationalism. It saddens me how this trend is being promoted and supported by Christians; Christian nationalism is a thing, and I would be a fool to suggests those who embrace it are not Christians — they are Christians, even if they fail to live up to the expectations of Christ.

Thus, thanks to the destruction of our food chain, the destruction of our education system, and the destruction of our health care system, all implemented by the Trump administration, the common good is being destroyed. There are a few, including Trump himself, who are taking advantage of the destruction as they rake in millions, billions, or even trillions, at the expense of the country itself. Dorothee Soelle, I believe, saw this beginning to take place in the nineteen-eighties, when “conservatives” transformed their vision of society to one where society no longer worked together, or cared for each other, but sought to make it every man, woman and child for themselves:

If I judge the economic policies of the eighties correctly, I see them as a denunciation of the most elementary responsibilities for one another, as an earlier order called the “national” economy represented them. It is a governmentally directed denunciation of the solidarity agreements between young and old, sick and healthy, workers and the unemployed. [1]

Without the promotion of selfishness since the eighties, Trump and his agenda would not have been so successful; sadly, those who should have known better, Christians, have joined in with it and have implemented changes in society which undermine the common good. They have made war against the safety net which helped people, even as many of them sought to destroy those they deem deem inferior, be it people from other countries, or those who are poor and homeless. They have tossed out a huge portion of the Gospel message. They deny what Jesus said about the rich and the poor. They think Jesus saves people with cheap grace, that is, without putting any expectations on them. This is why, if anyone calls out their ways, and points out they are engaging sin, they only reply, it doesn’t matter, Jesus has saved them. They are wrong. It matters. Jesus made it clear, those who do not show mercy, risk having no mercy shown to them, and that those who are rich now, those who ignore the plight of the poor, risk losing all of God’s blessings upon them. We should care for the poor, the weak and infirm; we should care for refugees instead of turning them back to those who would persecute and kill them; we should show hospitality to strangers, to foreigners, giving them the kindness we would like to be shown. We should not be a merciless society which has anyone, especially sisters and nuns, abducted by ICE agents because they do not have papers on them. We should not be a society which destroys itself by its hate. We need migrants. We always have. Historically, we see every generation in the United States has those deeming a new group of migrants as existential threats, because they are “different”; the real threats are not the migrants, but those who deny them mercy and their place in society. I fear, this has gone on far too long. I fear the cracks in the system are too much, and everything is going to break. I keep looking back at the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, and fear, though the destruction of the United States might not be so sensational, it will be similar to what happened to them, because the common good, including the good of those in need, has been rejected.

[1] Dorothee Soelle, On Earth as in Heaven: A Liberation Spirituality of Sharing. Trans. Marc Batko (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1993), 41.

* This Is Another Post From My Personal (Informal) Reflections And Speculations Series

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!

N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.

Progressive Christian

Politics and Religion

Previous Post

July 5, 2026

Grace And Personal Gifts In The Church

Next Post

July 7, 2026 The Church’s Call To Kindness

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Gosh, did that hit the spot. I have been having great anxiety lately. And I ..."

Mark Wilson

Rejecting Doom: Christian Hope And Human ..."

"Justice and peace are two sides of the same coin. Where there is justice, there ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Thank you for your very, very powerful and very, very insightful analysis of the relationship ..."

alwayspuzzled

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Given the amount of lethal malevolence that has prevailed in human history for the past ..."

alwayspuzzled

We Must Value Our Health

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz