The immigration actions supported by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have now hit very close to home. Bruna Ferreira, a relative of Leavitt, is being held by ICE officials and might be sent back to Brazil. This situation is very awkward for the White House press secretary because Ferreira is the mother of Leavitt’s 11-year-old nephew, Michael Leavitt Jr.
The press secretary has often spoken in favor of the same ICE raids that have now affected someone connected to her own family. Ferreira used to be engaged to Karoline Leavitt’s brother, Michael Leavitt, who lives in New Hampshire. She is now being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center while her removal case moves forward.
According to Unilad, the Department of Homeland Security is taking a tough stand on this case. A DHS spokesperson said that Ferreira is seen as a “criminal illegal alien from Brazil.” The spokesperson shared specific details about her time in the U.S. She came into the country on a B2 tourist visa that said she had to leave by June 6, 1999. The spokesperson also mentioned that Ferreira has an arrest for battery on her record.
The administration stands firm on deportation policy
This makes the administration’s point clear that under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all people living in the United States without permission can be deported. However, a GoFundMe page created by Ferreira’s sister strongly disagrees with the DHS claims and says that Bruna should be allowed to stay. The fundraiser says that Bruna has actually lived almost her whole life in the U.S.
The page says, “My sister, Bruna, was recently detained by immigration and is now fighting to stay in the country she has called home for nearly her entire life.” It explains that Bruna was brought to the United States by her parents in December of 1998 when she was just a child, coming in on a visa. Since then, the page claims she has worked to build an “honest, stable life” and has kept her legal status through DACA.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s ‘criminal illegal alien’ relative detained by ICE https://t.co/i80Ct03dnO pic.twitter.com/szCor8eJBl
— New York Post (@nypost) November 26, 2025
It’s hard to see someone who grew up here possibly facing removal, especially when they’ve tried to follow the rules. Family separations like these echo other heartbreaking stories, such as when children discovered their father’s fate after decades of uncertainty. The person truly stuck in the middle of this legal fight is the 11-year-old boy, Michael Jr. The GoFundMe page notes that the whole situation has been difficult for the child.
Michael Leavitt, Karoline’s brother and Michael Jr.’s father, talked about what matters most to him regarding his son. He said, “The only concern has always been the safety, well-being, and privacy of my son.” Michael Leavitt and Bruna Ferreira had raised their son together before ending their relationship.
Ferreira faces being sent back after spending most of her life in the U.S. In recent months, family disputes have occasionally turned violent, including a disturbing incident at a Texas funeral home that made headlines. The GoFundMe page is currently asking for money to cover the legal fees, hoping to make sure she has the best chance of staying in the country she calls home.
