Immigration and Customs Enforcement has taken into custody a woman tied to Karoline Leavitt — the current White House press secretary — as part of a nationwide enforcement operation. The detained individual, Bruna Caroline Ferreira, is the mother of Leavitt’s 11-year-old nephew and was arrested earlier this month during a traffic stop in Revere, Massachusetts.
According to government officials, Ferreira overstayed a B-2 tourist visa that reportedly expired in 1999 and has a prior battery arrest. She is now held at a detention facility in Louisiana and is facing removal proceedings. Authorities have classified her as a “criminal illegal alien.”
Her legal team, however, disputes the notion that she has a criminal record. They contend Ferreira entered the United States as a child under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, was in the process of applying for permanent residency, and should not have been detained.
Ferreira shares an 11-year-old son with Leavitt’s brother, and the boy is now living with his father in New Hampshire. Her arrest, and transfer far from her home, has triggered concern from family and advocates — especially given the backdrop of the administration’s aggressive immigration crackdowns.
This case stands out because of its proximity to a high-ranking administration official, highlighting how broadly the current immigration enforcement campaign is being applied across the country.