Lawyers representing the detained mother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's nephew have launched explosive accusations, claiming the prominent Trump administration official lied about their relationship amid a heated immigration battle.
Family Ties and Contradictory Claims
Bruna Ferreira, a Brazilian national and mother to Leavitt's 11-year-old nephew Michael Jr, has been held in a southern Louisiana detention facility for much of November after being picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The case has taken a dramatic personal turn as attorneys challenge the White House's version of events.
While a White House insider previously told The Daily Mail that Leavitt and Ferreira "have not spoken in many years," attorney Todd Pomerleau vehemently disputes this account. "She's seen and talked to Karoline Leavitt definitely within the past year, if not the past months," Pomerleau told The Daily Beast.
The lawyer provided specific details challenging the estrangement narrative, revealing that just weeks before her arrest, Ferreira attended her son's football game alongside the Leavitt family, including former partner Michael Leavitt Sr.
Complex Immigration History and Family Dynamics
Ferreira's immigration journey began when she arrived in the United States in 1998, remaining in the country under the federally protected Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Her attorney confirmed she was in the process of obtaining permanent residency when authorities detained her earlier this month.
The arrest occurred in Revere, Massachusetts, while Ferreira attempted to collect her 11-year-old son Michael Leavitt Jr, whose father is Leavitt's brother, Michael Sr. Michael Sr has stated that their son lives with him and his wife full-time in New Hampshire but has always maintained a relationship with his biological mother.
Pomerleau highlighted the apparent contradiction in the family's position, noting "A few weeks before her arrest, she's still a 'criminal illegal alien' hanging out with the Leavitt family that's preaching against criminal illegal aliens." He added that Ferreira had specifically chosen Karoline Leavitt as godmother to Michael Jr over her own sister.
Legal Battle and Family Fallout
Ferreira's sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, launched a GoFundMe campaign that quickly surpassed its $30,000 target, boosted by an anonymous $5,000 donation. In a Thanksgiving update, Rodrigues expressed gratitude for the support while acknowledging their difficult circumstances.
Rodrigues provided disturbing details of the arrest, claiming ICE agents were "not the most gentle with her" and that Ferreira desperately tried to inform them of her connection to the White House Press Secretary during the apprehension. "I'm sure my sister was terrified, frantic," Rodrigues told The Boston Globe. "She's been here since she was six years old. She's more American than she is anything else."
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Ferreira's status as a "criminal illegal alien" with a previous arrest for battery, noting she entered the US on a B2 tourist visa that expired in June 1999. A spokesman emphasized that under President Trump and Secretary Noem, "all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation."
As the legal battle continues, Ferreira remains detained while her family questions why the White House Press Secretary hasn't intervened in a case involving her own nephew's mother.
