One phone call or one denial could mean deportation for an immigrant, and now the spotlight is on Karoline Leavitt for the way she publicly described her connection to a detained relative.
Recent revelations show assertions by the family of Bruna Caroline Ferreira, the mother of Leavitt's 11-year-old nephew and godson, that Leavitt mischaracterised their relationship while Ferreira remains in custody.
According to Ferreira's attorney, Todd Pomerleau, the relationship between Ferreira's family and Leavitt's remains active and intimate, not a distant memory as White House sources claim.
Family Claims Show Close Ties
Pomerleau told the media that Ferreira chose Leavitt to be godmother to her son, Michael Jr., over her own sister. He added that Ferreira has been in regular contact with Leavitt and her relatives in the past year, 'definitely within the past months'.
Ferreira also reportedly attended a recreational soccer game just weeks before her detention, together with members of the Leavitt family, suggesting ongoing personal involvement.
Still, White House insiders have insisted that Leavitt 'has not spoken' with Ferreira in many years, and that the child lives full-time with his father in New Hampshire.
Conflicting Narratives Over Visa Status and Criminal Record
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told ABC News that Ferreira, a Brazilian national, is a 'criminal illegal alien' who overstayed a B-2 tourist visa that expired in June 1999. They also cited a prior arrest for battery.
But Ferreira's attorney disputes both claims, stating she has 'no criminal record whatsoever'. He notes that public records in Massachusetts courts show no evidence of the alleged battery charge, 'there are no charges out there', he said.
Pomerleau further argues that Ferreira arrived in the US as a child and was protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, and was in the process of applying for a green card when arrested.
That account suggests she may have been eligible for lawful status, which contradicts DHS's framing of her as a long-term visa overstayer with a criminal history.
Family Outcry: Why Silence From Leavitt?
Ferreira's family has expressed bitter frustration at Leavitt's lack of public support. Her sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, said Leavitt has had their phone number for years and 'if she were willing to do anything to help us, she would have reached out by now'.
'She's been family for the last 13 years', Rodrigues told The Boston Globe. 'I understand the policies and how it looks. But I also think when it comes to family, you put certain things aside.'
However, despite repeated media requests, Leavitt has declined to comment.
Critics say the silence and the discrepancy between public denials and private connections call into question Leavitt's credibility, especially while she serves as a key spokesperson for the administration's immigration policies.
Ferreira remains in custody at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, thousands of miles away from her son, her home, and her support network.
Her sister's GoFundMe campaign to raise legal defence funds has now surpassed its target, collecting approximately £28,500 ($35,875), a sign of growing public attention and support.
Her lawyer, Pomerleau, told CNN, 'She's a business-owning mother, she pays taxes ... she's not dangerous, not a flight risk... I'm trying to get her out of jail'.
Meanwhile, her son, caught between parents, has reportedly not spoken to her since the arrest, deepening the emotional strain on the child and highlighting the human cost of immigration enforcement.
For a family already fractured, and for a public official whose portfolio includes immigration messaging, the tension between private loyalties and public policy is growing harder to ignore.
