Brazilian Woman With Family Ties to White House Press Secretary Detained by ICE in Louisiana

Arrest During School Pickup

Bruna Caroline Ferreira, 33, was pulled over on Nov. 12 while driving to pick up her son from school in a Boston suburb, according to her attorney, Todd Pomerleau. Moments later, she was taken into custody by ICE agents.

Ferreira, who has lived in the U.S. since childhood, is the mother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s 11-year-old nephew. She previously shared custody of the boy with Leavitt’s brother, Michael Leavitt, though the couple never married.

Immigration Status Under Scrutiny

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Ferreira entered the U.S. from Brazil as a child on a B-2 tourist visa that required her departure by June 6, 1999. She later received temporary protection through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program but was no longer covered at the time of her arrest.

Her lawyer argues she was in the middle of pursuing lawful permanent residency and had recently attended a green card hearing.
“She was arrested without due process,” Pomerleau said, insisting Ferreira “has no criminal record.”

DHS, however, described her as a “criminal noncitizen,” citing a previous arrest on suspicion of battery—though the agency has not stated whether she was ever charged.

Held in Louisiana, Far From Home

Ferreira is currently detained at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center, hundreds of miles from her family in Massachusetts. Her sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover mounting legal expenses, writing that Ferreira was brought to the U.S. in December 1998.

Her son now remains with his father in New Hampshire.
“My only concern has always been the safety, well-being, and privacy of my son,” Michael Leavitt said in a message.

Sources close to the family say Press Secretary Leavitt and Ferreira have not spoken in years.

Part of a Larger Enforcement Trend

Immigration lawyers say Ferreira’s case reflects a broader pattern of aggressive enforcement under the Trump administration, where even immigrants pursuing legal status may be detained.

“These aren’t criminals. These are working families,” Pomerleau said.
Attorney Jeffrey Rubin, from the same law firm, added that arrests without warning have become increasingly common:
“The volume and lack of discretion is what’s new.”

Internal government reports show that as DHS focuses more on immigration enforcement, arrests for drug crimes and weapon seizures have declined.

A Family Caught in a Political Crossfire

While Ferreira’s ties to a high-profile White House official have drawn attention, lawyers emphasize her situation mirrors that of many long-time immigrants now facing sudden detention.

For the moment, Ferreira remains in ICE custody, awaiting the next step in her legal fight—one that could determine whether she stays in the country she has called home for more than two decades.