US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detained Bruna Caroline Ferreira — the mother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s 11-year-old nephew — and she now faces deportation to Brazil, deepening the political spotlight on Donald Trump’s new immigration crackdown.
Bruna, originally from Brazil, was picked up by ICE agents in Revere, Massachusetts, earlier this month. DHS officials say she entered the United States legally on a B-2 tourist visa, but that visa expired in June 1999, meaning she has been living in the country without legal authorisation for more than two decades. Authorities also pointed to a prior arrest for battery and stated that, under the current Trump-Noem immigration policy, anyone unlawfully present in the US can be deported regardless of personal circumstances.
Bruna previously lived with Michael Leavitt — the White House press secretary’s brother — and the pair have one son together. A source familiar with the matter told the Daily Beast that Bruna and Karoline Leavitt have not been in contact for several years. The child has lived in New Hampshire with his father since birth and has never resided with Bruna, the source said. Michael Leavitt has not addressed the ICE case publicly, stating only that his concern is the safety and privacy of his son.
Bruna’s family, meanwhile, is attempting to halt the deportation process. Her sister has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise USD 30,000 for legal fees and has already collected more than USD 14,000. Her lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, argues that Bruna came to the United States as a minor and later gained lawful presence through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, and that she was in the process of securing her green card before the arrest. DHS officials counter that DACA protections can be revoked if recipients are charged with crimes, making Bruna eligible for removal.
Both the White House press secretary and her brother have declined to comment directly on the immigration case, even as the Trump administration continues to face scrutiny over its sweeping raids and expedited removal policies.
