A woman with an indirect link to the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is currently facing deportation. Bruna Caroline Ferreira, a 33-year-old Brazilian national and the mother of Leavitt’s nephew, was arrested by ICE agents on November 12 in Revere, Massachusetts.
The Case Against Ferreira
ICE officials allege that Ferreira overstayed a B-2 tourist visa which expired way back in 1999. Furthermore, ICE cites a prior arrest for battery as part of its case. The spokesperson for the GoFundMe campaign noted that under the current administration, “all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.”
However, Ferreira’s legal team has contested the claims, stating they found no record of any conviction for battery.
A Life Built in the U.S. and DACA Status
Ferreira’s family and legal counsel maintain that she was brought to the U.S. as a child in 1998, or when she was just six years old, according to her sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues.
- Legal Status Claim: Her attorney argues that Ferreira was previously protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and was actively in the process of obtaining permanent residency when she was detained.
- Family’s Plea: The GoFundMe page, which features a detailed profile of Ferreira, states that she has “done everything in her power to build a stable, honest life here.”
Family Rallies with GoFundMe Campaign
Ferreira’s sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, initiated a GoFundMe campaign to secure legal defense funds to fight the deportation. The fundraiser describes Ferreira as “hardworking, kind, and always the first to offer help.”
As of Wednesday, November 26, 1:30 p.m., the campaign has successfully raised about $23,000, which is 79% of its $30,000 target. The campaign description makes a poignant plea for help in “bringing Bruna home from immigration detention and reuniting her with her son.”
The separation is taking a heavy emotional toll on her son, the nephew of Karoline Leavitt. The boy is reportedly deeply affected, especially as the holiday season approaches, and hopes to see his mother home by Thanksgiving or Christmas. The child’s father, Michael Leavitt (Karoline Leavitt’s brother), currently has full-time custody of him in New Hampshire.
White House Distances Itself
The case has drawn significant attention due to the indirect familial connection to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is a vocal proponent of strict immigration policy. A White House official, however, clarified that Leavitt “had no involvement whatsoever” in her relative’s detention.