Bruna Caroline Ferreira, the mother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s 11-year-old nephew, is in ICE custody after being detained in Massachusetts earlier this month.
According to CNN and local outlet WMUR, Ferreira was arrested on November 12 in Revere, just north of Boston. She was reportedly driving to pick up her son from Michael Leavitt, Karoline’s brother, when authorities detained her.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed that Ferreira, who was born in Brazil, is being held because her tourist visa expired in 1999. “She entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa that required her to depart the U.S. by June 6, 1999,” the spokesperson said. They added that she is “currently at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center and is in removal proceedings.”
The spokesperson also mentioned a prior arrest for battery, though details remain unclear. WBUR, a public broadcaster in Boston, noted that Massachusetts’ online court records show no charges against Ferreira.
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Her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, disputed any criminal claims. “Bruna has no criminal record whatsoever,” he told WMUR. “There’s no proof. She’s not a criminal. She’s not an illegal alien. That’s just being said because she’s not a U.S. citizen.”
Sources familiar with the family told PEOPLE that Ferreira’s son has lived full-time with Michael Leavitt in New Hampshire and has not lived with his mother for years. The sources also said that Karoline and Ferreira have not been in contact for a long time.
Pomerleau told CNN that Ferreira had been protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which covers immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. He said she was pursuing legal status but could not renew DACA after past efforts by the Trump administration to end the program.
Ferreira’s sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, started a GoFundMe to support the family. She wrote that Ferreira “was brought to the U.S. as a child and has done everything to build a stable, honest life here.” She added, “Anyone who knows Bruna knows she is hardworking, kind, and always willing to help others.” She also noted the impact on Ferreira’s son, saying he “needs his mother and hopes she’ll be home in time for the holidays.”
Michael Leavitt told WMUR that his son has not been in contact with Ferreira since her arrest. He called the situation “difficult” and said his main concern is his child’s safety and well-being.
Ferreira’s arrest comes amid increased immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. During a November 2 interview with 60 Minutes, the president said ICE raids “haven’t gone far enough” and said his efforts were being “held back by… liberal judges put in by Biden and by Obama.”
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
