Family Demands Answers After ICE Detains DACA Mother
The family of a Brazilian woman with connections to Donald Trump's spokesperson has launched a fierce criticism against immigration authorities after she was taken into custody by ICE. Bruna Ferreira, who arrived in the United States from Brazil in 1998 under the DACA programme, was apprehended in Revere, Massachusetts earlier this month.
Ferreira's situation carries a particularly notable family connection - her 11-year-old son is named Michael Leavitt Jr, after his father Michael Leavitt Sr, who happens to be the brother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Family Accuses Trump Spokesperson of Silence
Ferreira's sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, revealed to The Boston Globe that despite being the child's godmother, Leavitt has not offered any assistance to the family during this crisis. "If she were to help in any way, if she were willing to do anything to help us, she would have reached out by now. She has my phone number," Rodrigues stated emphatically.
Although the boy lives full-time with his father and stepmother, Rodrigues emphasised that the family relationship should count for something. "We've been family for the last 13 years. I understand the policies and how it looks. But I also think when it comes to family, you put certain things aside. I don't care who you work for," she added.
Rodrigues has been providing emotional support to her nephew through FaceTime calls and launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover her sister's legal expenses. The boy's distress is palpable, with Rodrigues revealing: "He needs his mom home. He's always asking, 'When's my mom coming home? Will she be home for Thanksgiving? Will she be home for Christmas?' I don't know what to tell him."
Conflicting Accounts and Legal Battle
Ferreira is currently being held at an ICE facility in southern Louisiana, far from her Massachusetts home. Her lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, insists she had arrived in 1998 under the federally protected DACA programme and was actively pursuing permanent residency when she was unexpectedly detained.
The Department of Homeland Security presented a different narrative, describing Ferreira as a "criminal illegal alien" who "has a previous arrest for battery" and entered on a B2 tourist visa that expired in June 1999.
Pomerleau vehemently denied these allegations, stating: "Bruna has no criminal record whatsoever. I don't know where that is coming from. Show us the proof. There's no charges out there. She's not a criminal illegal alien." He emphasised the timing of her arrest, noting she was "taken from her young child right before Thanksgiving."
Michael Leavitt Sr provided a statement indicating that while their son lives with him and his wife full-time in New Hampshire, he has always maintained a relationship with his biological mother. He expressed that his "only concern has always been the safety, well-being, and privacy of [his] son," and revealed the boy hasn't spoken with his mother since her detention several weeks ago.
A source familiar with the family dynamics claimed that Karoline Leavitt hasn't spoken with her nephew's mother in many years, and that the child has always resided with his father since birth.
Broader Immigration Context
This family drama unfolds against a backdrop of shifting public opinion regarding immigration enforcement. A recent Daily Mail/JL Partners poll indicated that ICE's approval rating has dropped to 34 percent - a four-point decrease since October - with 45 percent of registered voters disapproving of the agency's operations.
The case has gained additional attention following comments from prominent podcaster Joe Rogan, who criticised ICE raids during his November 18 episode, stating: "You got ICE raids, where they're taking people that are American citizens and they're scaring the s*** out of everybody."
As Ferreira remains in detention, her family continues to fight for her release while navigating the complex intersection of family ties, immigration policy, and political affiliations that has thrust their personal struggle into the national spotlight.
