A non-blood “relative” of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has been scooped up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Leavitt’s actual relative, her brother Michael Leavitt, previously dated a Brazilian woman named Bruna Ferreira and had a son with her, according to WBUR.
Ferreira is an illegal alien who, her family has alleged, had been living in the U.S. through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Earlier this month, she was arrested by ICE in the Massachusetts town of Revere and is now at the South Louisiana ICE Processing facility, according to NBC News.
A woman with close ties to Karoline Leavitt has been arrested by ICE despite living in the US for decades. Bruna Ferreira was arrested in Revere, Massachusetts. She is currently being held at an ICE facility in Louisiana. Bruna has an 11-year-old son with the White house press pic.twitter.com/OMpBGEmg7c
— N’ Cuffs (@NCuffs1) November 26, 2025
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin has since alleged that Ferreira had, in fact, entered the country on a tourist visa but never left when required in 1999.
“Under President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation,” she told WBUR.
McLaughlin also alleged that Ferreira had a “previous arrest for battery.” The Trump administration has been especially tough on illegals who partake in criminal activities.
The DHS spokesperson also stressed that DACA recipients are no longer safe from deportation.
“DACA does not confer any form of legal status in this country,” she said, adding that DACA recipients can lose their status “for a number of reasons, including if they’ve committed a crime.”
A source familiar with the story told The Daily Beast that Leavitt’s brother, Michael, hasn’t spoken with Ferreira for years.
“This individual is the mother of Karoline’s nephew and they have not spoken in many years,” the source said. “The child has lived full-time in New Hampshire with his father since he was born. He has never resided with his mother.”
Asked to comment on Ferreira’s fate, Leavitt had nothing to say.
“Karoline had no involvement whatsoever in this matter,” an administration spokesperson said.
In a statement, Leavitt’s brother, meanwhile, said, “My only concern has always been the safety, wellbeing, and privacy of my son.”
The brother previously made headlines when he won $1 million in a DraftKings contest in 2014. At the time, he and Ferreira were engaged, and their son was only eight months old.
“I’m speechless,” the brother said at the time. “I just checked and saw they added the winnings to my account. It actually was a little more than a million. It was $1,008,001. I can’t believe it.”
Ferreira’s sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, has since launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to raise money for her to legally fight ICE.
11-year-old lives with him and his wife, but still maintains a relationship with Bruna.
Ferreira’s family have set up a GoFundMe to seek donations to cover her legal expenses. https://t.co/H45xvLewxz
— N’ Cuffs (@NCuffs1) November 26, 2025
“Anyone who knows Bruna knows the kind of person she is,” the fundraiser reads. “She is hardworking, kind, and always the first to offer help when someone needs it. Whether it’s supporting family, friends, or even strangers, Bruna has a heart that puts others before herself.
“Bruna’s absence has been especially painful for her 11-year-old son, Michael Leavitt Junior, who needs his mother and hopes every single day that she’ll be home in time for the holidays. We are asking for financial help to cover the legal fees and expenses needed to give Bruna the best possible chance to return home to her family,” it continues.
Ferreira’s attorney, Todd Pomerleau, clarified to CNN that she was a FORMER DACA recipient who was unable to renew her status during President Donald Trump’s first term in office, when he famously tried unsuccessfully to end the program.
The attorney added that his client is currently in the middle of an allegedly “lawful immigration process” for citizenship, though he abstained from providing any additional details and facts.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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