Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have detained a close relative of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, highlighting the personal impact of the Trump administration's ongoing immigration enforcement measures.
Family Details and Arrest Circumstances
Bruna Caroline Ferreira, identified as the mother of Leavitt's nephew, was taken into custody in Revere, Massachusetts, according to multiple media reports. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed to NBC News that Ferreira is considered a 'criminal illegal alien from Brazil' who allegedly remained in the United States on an expired tourist visa since 1999.
Ferreira currently remains detained at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center, located approximately 1,700 miles from her Massachusetts home. Officials state her arrest followed suspicion of battery, though specific details about the alleged incident haven't been disclosed.
Family Response and Legal Battle
Ferreira's sibling, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for legal expenses, expressing hope that financial support will provide her sister with a 'chance to return home to her family.'
In the fundraising description, Rodrigues reveals that Ferreira originally came to the United States as a child and had 'maintained her legal status through DACA' (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). Rodrigues describes her sister as 'hardworking, kind, and always the first to offer help when someone needs it.'
The situation has proven particularly difficult for Ferreira's 11-year-old son, Michael Leavitt Junior, who 'hopes every single day that she'll be home in time for the holidays.' However, conflicting information from an NBC source indicates Leavitt's nephew has lived full-time in New Hampshire since birth and never resided with his mother.
Political Context and Public Opinion
The detention occurs against the backdrop of the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies, which Press Secretary Leavitt has consistently defended since the president took office in January.
In February, Leavitt told reporters: 'It's a promise the President campaigned on, that if you invade our nation's borders, if you break our country's laws, and if then you further commit heinous, brutal crimes in the interior of our country... you are going to be deported from this country.' She emphasised that 'these are criminals we are talking about' in her justification of the administration's approach.
Public support for these measures appears to be weakening. Recent polling indicates only 34 percent of Americans now approve of ICE's activities, representing a 4 percent decrease since last month. This contrasts sharply with a Pew Research Center survey from just one year ago that found 56 percent of Americans supported mass deportations.
The administration has conducted high-profile raids in several major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, and North Carolina, creating division among voters and drawing criticism from immigration advocates.
Leavitt has not yet publicly commented on her relative's detention. The Independent has contacted both the White House and Department of Homeland Security for additional comment regarding this developing situation.
