Bruna Carolina Ferreira, the mother of the nephew of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, was recently taken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This happened in Revere, Massachusetts, earlier this month. Her detention has attracted a lot of media attention. It raises questions about immigration rules, the DACA program, and how deportation decisions are made. This case shows how strict immigration policies can affect people, even those with strong family connections to important government figures.
The Detention and Disputed Status
Bruna Carolina Ferreira is from Brazil and is now at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center. She is facing deportation. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says she is a “criminal illegal alien from Brazil” and claims she stayed in the U.S. after her tourist visa expired in June 1999. DHS also says she was arrested before for battery.
Her lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, and her family strongly disagree. They say she has no criminal record. Court searches in Massachusetts also do not show any record of these charges. The main question is whether she is a visa overstay and criminal, as DHS claims, or a long-term, law-abiding resident and former DACA recipient, as her family says.
Background: DACA and Family Ties
Her family says Bruna came to the U.S. as a child in December 1998 with her parents. She had legal protection under the DACA program, which helps children who came to the U.S. stay without being deported. Her lawyer says she could not renew her DACA because of new rules and was trying to get a green card when ICE detained her.
Her case is getting more attention because of her connection to the White House. Bruna has an 11-year-old son, Michael Leavitt Junior, with Karoline Leavitt’s older brother. Michael Leavitt Sr., the White House Press Secretary’s brother, has full custody of their son. Bruna and Karoline Leavitt have not spoken in years. Still, the family link makes this case more noticeable because the administration is known for strict immigration policies.
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Family’s Fight and Public Support
Bruna’s sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, started a GoFundMe to help pay for her legal defense. The page describes Bruna as a “hardworking, kind” person who has always tried to do the right thing since coming to the U.S. as a child.
The family talks about how hard this is for her son, Michael, who wants his mother home for the holidays. The GoFundMe quickly reached its first goal. This shows that many people want to help Bruna fight to stay in the country she has lived in for more than 20 years. Her strong family and community connections make it hard to call her just an “illegal alien.”
Broader Implications for Immigration Policy
Bruna Carolina Ferreira’s detention shows the problems with U.S. immigration rules today. It is especially serious for people who were once protected by DACA, even if they followed the rules. DACA only gives temporary protection, not permanent status.
The disagreement between DHS, which calls her a criminal visa overstay, and her family and lawyer, who say she is law-abiding, raises questions about fairness and transparency in immigration. Many people see this case as more than just one person’s story. It shows the ongoing debate about how the U.S. should treat long-term residents and DACA-eligible people who have strong ties to American communities.
Disclaimer
The news information presented here is based on available reports and reliable sources. Readers should cross-check updates from official news outlets.