Mother of White House Press Secretary’s Nephew Speaks Out After ICE Arrest in Massachusetts
A Brazilian woman with family ties to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is speaking publicly after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement last month in Massachusetts, a case that has drawn national attention amid ongoing debates over immigration enforcement.
Bruna-Caroline Ferreira, 33, was taken into ICE custody on November 12 in Revere, Massachusetts, while heading to pick up her 11-year-old son from school, according to multiple news reports. Ferreira is the mother of Leavitt’s nephew; the child’s father is Michael Leavitt, the press secretary’s brother.
Federal officials say Ferreira overstayed a tourist visa that expired in 1999. Her attorney disputes the government’s characterization of her immigration and legal history, saying she has no adult criminal record and previously held Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status while seeking lawful permanent residency.
Following her arrest, Ferreira was transferred to an ICE detention facility in Louisiana, where she remained for several weeks. On December 8, an immigration judge ordered her release on a $1,500 bond as removal proceedings continue.
After her release, Ferreira appeared in television interviews and criticized the circumstances of her arrest, saying she was separated from her child without warning and has not had contact with Karoline Leavitt since her detention began. She also pushed back on public narratives surrounding her case, including claims made by the Department of Homeland Security.
Leavitt has not publicly commented on the situation.
The case has sparked renewed scrutiny of ICE arrest practices involving parents of U.S.-citizen children and the treatment of long-term undocumented residents as immigration enforcement remains a flashpoint issue nationwide.
Follow The Coffman Chronicle on NewsBreak for daily breaking political coverage.