Federal immigration authorities have detained a Massachusetts woman who shares a child with the brother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, according to reports.
Bruna Ferreira was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Revere, Massachusetts.
She is currently being held at an ICE detention facility in southern Louisiana.
Ferreira is the mother of an 11-year-old boy with Michael Leavitt, the brother of press secretary Karoline Leavitt. The child, Michael Leavitt Junior, bears his father’s name.
According to Ferreira’s attorney, she entered the United States as a child in 1998 with her family, traveling from Brazil.
Her lawyer stated she arrived under the federally protected DACA program and was actively pursuing permanent residency status.
Michael Leavitt released a statement confirming that his son lives with him and his wife on a full-time basis while maintaining a relationship with his biological mother. He told WBUR that his primary focus remains on the safety, well-being, and privacy of his son.
The boy has been unable to speak with his mother since her initial detention by ICE several weeks ago, according to Michael Leavitt.
A source with knowledge of the family situation told the Daily Mail that Karoline Leavitt has not communicated with her nephew’s mother in many years.
The source emphasized that the child has resided full-time in New Hampshire with his father since birth and has never lived with his mother.
A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman provided a statement to the Daily Mail characterizing Ferreira as a criminal who has a previous arrest for battery.
The spokeswoman stated that Ferreira entered the country on a B2 tourist visa requiring her departure by June 6, 1999.
The DHS spokeswoman added that under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States face potential deportation.
Pomerleau, representing Ferreira, contested the government’s allegations regarding criminal charges. He stated that Ferreira possesses no criminal record and challenged officials to provide evidence of any charges.
Pomerleau said his client was “abruptly arrested” while in the process of obtaining residency status. He noted she was taken from her young child just before Thanksgiving.
Ferreira’s family created a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for legal expenses.
Sources indicate Ferreira and Michael Leavitt separated approximately 10 years ago. During their relationship, Michael Leavitt won $1 million in a Draft Kings competition when their son was eight months old and they were engaged.
In an interview with The Cullman Times at the time, Ferreira said, “We have our health. We have a nice condo. We really are blessed. I need the lights fixed on the back of my car, and we need a lamp for my son’s room.”
