In a stunning Thanksgiving-week twist, the mom of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt nephew was hauled into federal custody—sparking a political frenzy and raising fresh questions about the Biden-era immigration hangover President Trump is now trying to clean up.
Bruna Caroline Ferreira, described by Homeland Security officials as “a criminal illegal alien from Brazil,” was detained in Revere, Massachusetts, after allegedly overstaying a B2 tourist visa that expired back on June 6, 1999. She now sits in the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center, awaiting removal proceedings.
But there’s a twist Washington insiders didn’t expect: Ferreira shares an 11-year-old son with Karoline Leavitt’s brother, Michael.
Michael Leavitt—who greeted President Trump in the Oval Office during past WH visits—told WMUR, “The only concern has always been the safety, well-being, and privacy of my son.”
A source close to the family stressed that Karoline has had no relationship with Ferreira for years. “This individual is the mother of Karoline’s nephew and they have not spoken in many years,” the source said. “The child has lived full-time in New Hampshire with his father since he was born. He has never resided with his mother.”
Homeland Security confirmed the long-expired visa and emphasized the Trump administration’s stance: “She entered the US on a B2 tourist visa that required her to depart the US by June 6, 1999… She is in removal proceedings. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.”
Ferreira had previously been arrested on suspicion of battery, though no clear records of charges appear in Massachusetts’ online court system.
Ferreira’s attorney, Todd Pomerleau, blasted the arrest, insisting she was protected under DACA and “maintained her legal status.” He claims she was “abruptly arrested and taken from her young child right before Thanksgiving.”
Pomerleau added, “Bruna has no criminal record whatsoever. I don’t know where that is coming from… She’s not a criminal illegal alien.”
He says the boy hasn’t spoken with his mother since the detention: “She should not be sitting in a jail hours away from her family. She’s a great mom.”
A relative even launched a GoFundMe, saying Ferreira came to the U.S. as a child in 1998 and “has maintained her legal status through DACA, followed every requirement, and has always strived to do the right thing.”
Ferreira and Michael Leavitt have been separated for about a decade. Back in 2014—when they were still together—Michael famously won $1 million in a DraftKings fantasy football contest. Ferreira seemed humble about the winnings at the time, telling the Culman Times, “We need the lights fixed on the back of my car… and we need a lamp for my son’s room. Other than that we don’t really need much… We really are blessed.”
Now, as Trump’s renewed enforcement agenda rolls forward, Ferreira’s case is quickly becoming a flashpoint in the national debate over illegal immigration, DACA, and the long-term consequences of lax border policy.
