ICE Detains Bruna Ferreira, Relative of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Amidst Crackdown
The detention of Bruna Caroline Ferreira by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has drawn significant attention due to her familial connection to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Ferreira, identified as the mother of Leavitt's nephew, was taken into custody earlier this month in Revere, Massachusetts, amidst the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement efforts.
DHS Allegations and Family's Counter-Narrative
According to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson, Ferreira is categorized as a "criminal illegal alien from Brazil." The spokesperson stated that she initially entered the U.S. on a tourist visa which expired in June 1999 and also has a prior arrest on suspicion of battery. Ferreira is currently being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center as her removal proceedings advance.
However, a different narrative emerges from Ferreira’s family and a GoFundMe campaign established on her behalf. Her family asserts that she was brought to the United States as a child in 1998 and has diligently worked to establish a stable and honest life. They claim she "maintained her legal status" through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which grants protection to certain undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children. The Associated Press has reported that DACA recipients have increasingly been targets in recent immigration sweeps. Tricia McLaughlin, another Homeland Security spokesperson, confirmed that DACA status can be revoked for various reasons, including criminal activity.
Nephew's Status and Broader Immigration Policy Context
Sources also indicate that Ferreira has not resided with Leavitt’s nephew for many years. The nephew has lived full-time in New Hampshire with his father since birth and maintains no contact with his mother.
The incident underscores the Trump administration's rigorous stance on immigration. Under President Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the policy dictates that "all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation." Karoline Leavitt herself has publicly defended this approach, maintaining that anyone arrested by ICE since Trump's return to office is a "criminal" for violating national laws. She has stressed that illegal entry or presence constitutes a federal crime, and the GOP administration prioritizes deporting "illegal criminals," noting that even those without violent crime convictions can face deportation if their initial entry was unlawful.
This case highlights the complexities and personal impacts of current immigration policies, particularly concerning individuals who have lived in the U.S. for extended periods and may have ties to DACA.
