REVERE, Massachusetts — A woman related to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement as the Trump administration ramps up nationwide arrests of undocumented immigrants. Bruna Caroline Ferreira, who shares a son with Leavitt’s brother Michael, was taken into custody earlier this month in Revere and is now being held at an ICE facility in Louisiana, according to reporting from The National Desk.
DHS officials told NBC News that Ferreira is considered a “criminal illegal alien from Brazil,” alleging she overstayed a tourist visa that expired in 1999 and was recently arrested on suspicion of battery. Ferreira’s family disputes this portrayal, saying she was brought to the U.S. as a child in 1998 and lived a stable life while following the requirements of DACA. A GoFundMe created by her sister says she “has done everything in her power to build a stable, honest life.”
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said DACA recipients are not shielded from deportation, reiterating that the program does not confer legal status. The Associated Press has reported that DACA recipients have been among those detained during recent immigration sweeps.
The case comes as ICE detention numbers reach record highs, with more than 65,000 migrants in custody as of Nov. 15. A source told WBUR that Leavitt has had no relationship with Ferreira in many years, emphasizing that the press secretary was not involved in the situation.
Ferreira’s family has raised more than $15,000 to support her legal defense.
Sources
• The National Desk – MBFC Rating
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