Ferreira, the mother of White House press secretary Leavitt’s nephew, was arrested by ICE agents during a raid on illegal immigrants in early November.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on November 26 confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested a woman named Bruna Caroline Ferreira, 33 years old, Brazilian nationality. She is being held at an ICE facility in Louisiana.
Ferreira was once the fiancee of Michael Leavitt, brother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. The two have an 11-year-old son, Michael Leavitt Jr.
Bruna Caroline Ferreira, mother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s nephew. Image: The Times
Boston Globe said Ferreira was arrested on November 12 in the city of Revere, Massachusetts, while on his way from home to pick up his son at school in neighboring New Hampshire. ICE agents came to check and asked Ferreira to present her driver’s license, but she had no identification.
According to DHS, Ferreira came to the US on a B2 tourist visa and did not leave after the visa expired in June 1999. She was once arrested for assault.
Defense attorney Jeffrey Rubin said Ferreira is applying for a green card and is protected from deportation under DACA, a program for people brought to the United States illegally as children.
Sources familiar with the White House confirmed that Ferreira is the mother of press secretary Karoline’s nephew, but the two have not spoken for many years. Leavitt Jr. lived with his father in New Hampshire since childhood and Michael is married to someone else.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at a press conference on September 22. Image: AP
Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, Ferreira’s sister, launched a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe for a legal fight with ICE, to help Ferreira stay in the US. She described Ferreira as a devoted and hard-working mother.
“Ferreira has done her best to build a stable and honest life here. She has maintained legal immigration status through DACA, complied with all requirements, and always tried to do the right thing,” the fundraising page wrote, adding that her son hopes every day for his mother to return before the holidays.