ICE Arrests Mother of Karoline Leavitt’s Nephew amidst Increased Deportation Efforts
Louisiana – The mother of Karoline Leavitt’s nephew was recently arrested by Immigration and customs Enforcement (ICE) just before Thanksgiving,prompting concern from her lawyer and family. The woman, identified as Ferreira, is in the process of obtaining a green card and was taken into custody leaving her son without a mother.
“She’s in the process of actually getting her green card and she was abruptly arrested and taken from her young child right before Thanksgiving,” her lawyer told WCVB. Ferreira’s son has not spoken to his mother since the arrest. The lawyer added, “I’m just trying to fight to get her out of jail. she should not be sitting in a jail hours away from her family and from her child’s life. She’s a great mom, and from what I heard, I think he’s been a pretty good dad.”
The arrest occurs as the Trump administration has intensified its immigration enforcement policies, initiating a “mass deportation campaign” that includes encouraging “self-deportation” and increased law enforcement operations by ICE, the Border Patrol, and the National Guard across the United States.
According to a GoFundMe campaign established by a relative, Ferreira was brought to the US as a child in 1998 and has since maintained legal status through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, consistently fulfilling all requirements. “Since then, she has done everything in her power to build a stable, honest life here…She has always strived to do the right thing,” the fundraiser states.
Ferreira’s son is the child of Michael Leavitt, Karoline Leavitt’s brother.in 2014, Michael Leavitt won $1 million in a DraftKings daily fantasy football contest while engaged to Ferreira, and their son was eight months old. At the time, Ferreira told the North Andover, Mass., Eagle-Tribune, ”I 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 have our health. We have a nice condo. We really are blessed.”
Michael Leavitt has not responded to requests for comment. Her lawyer stated, “His mother is locked up in Louisiana, where she should have never been in the first place.”
