US immigration authorities have detained a woman who is the mother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s nephew, according to a source familiar with the arrest.
A DHS spokesperson identified the woman as Bruna Caroline Ferreira.
A reporter from ABC New Hampshire station WMUR spoke with Leavitt’s brother, Michael Leavitt, who also confirmed the arrest and said she was detained a few weeks ago.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds a news conference at the White House in Washington, Nov. 20, 2025.
Evan Vucci/AP
According to Michael Leavitt, his 11-year-old son has lived with him since he was born but says the boy maintains a relationship with his mother, WMUR reported.
A DHS spokesperson described Ferreira, a Brazilian citizen, as a “criminal illegal alien” who has a prior arrest for assault and overstayed a visa that expired in 1999.
“ICE arrested Bruna Caroline Ferreria, an illegal criminal alien from Brazil. She has a prior arrest for assault. She entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa that required her to depart the U.S. by June 6, 1999. She is currently at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center and is in deportation proceedings. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all persons unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation,” the spokesperson said.
Todd Pomerleau, Ferreira’s attorney, spoke to ABC station WCVB in Boston and rejected claims that Ferreira has a criminal record.
“Bruna has no criminal record, I don’t know where she comes from. Show us the evidence,” Pomerleau said.
Pomerleau also said Ferreira entered the country legally, previously had DACA status and is currently in the process of obtaining a green card. He said his client was arrested in her car in Massachusetts after being detained without a warrant, adding that she now has to litigate her case in Louisiana, thousands of miles from her home. Pomerleau said he did not believe his client’s connection to Karoline Leavitt would affect the case, adding that he believes it is just a “coincidence.”
The White House declined to comment.
An online fundraising campaign organized by a person claiming to be Ferreira’s sister says she was brought to the country as a child in 1998.
“Anyone who knows Bruna knows the type of person she is. She is hard-working, kind and is always the first to offer help when someone needs it. Whether supporting family, friends or even strangers, Bruna has a heart that puts others before herself,” said Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues.
