ICE Detains Mother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s Nephew
REVERE, MA – Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents this month detained Bruna Caroline Ferreira, the mother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s nephew, in Revere, Massachusetts. A source familiar with the matter confirmed the detention to NBC News.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials identified Ferreira as a Brazilian national who overstayed her tourist visa, which expired in June 1999. A DHS spokesperson stated Ferreira has an arrest on suspicion of battery,though the outcome of that case remains unclear.She is currently held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center while facing removal proceedings.
According to the DHS spokesperson,under the Trump administration and former DHS Secretary kristi Noem,”all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.”
The source indicated Leavitt’s nephew has resided full-time with his father in New Hampshire since birth and has had limited contact with his mother in recent years.
Ferreira’s family has launched a GoFundMe campaign stating she was brought to the U.S. as a child in 1998 and has “done everything in her power to build a stable, honest life here.” They claim she previously maintained legal status through the deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
the detention comes as the Associated Press reported Tuesday that DACA recipients have been among those detained in recent immigration sweeps. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated in a published statement that DACA recipients can lose their status “for a number of reasons, including if they’ve committed a crime.”
The story was first reported by WBUR, Boston University’s public broadcaster and news platform. Leavitt has declined to comment on the matter.
