US immigration authorities have detained the Brazilian mother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's nephew as part of the Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement measures, according to reports from NBC News.
Details of the Detention
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents apprehended Bruna Caroline Ferreira earlier this month in Revere, Massachusetts. The Department of Homeland Security has identified her as a criminal illegal alien from Brazil who remained in the United States after her tourist visa expired in June 1999.
A DHS spokesperson confirmed that Ferreira faces allegations of battery and is currently held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center while removal proceedings advance. The spokesperson emphasized that under President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, all individuals present unlawfully in the United States become subject to deportation.
Family Background and Legal Status
According to NBC News sources, Ferreira has not lived with Leavitt's nephew for many years. The child resides full-time in New Hampshire with his father and has maintained no contact with his mother.
However, Ferreira's family presents a different narrative through a GoFundMe campaign. They claim she arrived in the United States as a child in 1998 and has consistently worked toward establishing a stable, honest life. The family maintains she preserved her legal status through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides protection for certain immigrants brought to America illegally during childhood.
Broader Immigration Context
The Associated Press reports that recent immigration sweeps have included DACA recipients among those detained. Tricia McLaughlin, another Homeland Security spokesperson, clarified that DACA status can be revoked for various reasons, including criminal activity.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has publicly defended ICE's actions, asserting that all individuals arrested by the agency since Trump's return to office have violated federal laws. She maintains that illegal entry or presence constitutes a federal crime, and the Republican administration prioritizes deporting illegal criminals, including those without violent crime convictions if they entered the country unlawfully.
The case highlights ongoing debates about immigration enforcement policies and their impact on families with mixed immigration status, particularly those connected to political figures implementing these measures.
