ICE Detains Mother Of White House Press Secretary's Nephew In Revere: Reports

By Chris Spiker From Daily Voice

The mother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s nephew has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, according to reports.

Department of Homeland Security records confirm that Bruna Caroline Ferreira is being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center. Boston University's public radio station WBUR first reported on Tuesday, Nov. 25, that Ferreira was arrested in Revere, Massachusetts, earlier in November.

Ferreira, who's originally from Brazil, shares a son with Leavitt's brother, Michael. A Trump administration official told WBUR that the boy's parents "have not spoken in years," and that the child has lived full-time in New Hampshire with his father since birth.

Karoline Leavitt has declined to comment publicly on Ferreira's arrest as of press time. A Trump administration official told WBUR, "Karoline had no involvement whatsoever in this matter."

In a statement to WBUR, Michael Leavitt said, "My only concern has always been the safety, well-being, and privacy of my son."

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin claimed that Ferreira has a "previous arrest for battery," with NBC News reporting that McLaughlin called Ferreira a "criminal illegal alien." Massachusetts online court records reviewed by WBUR didn't show any battery charges for Ferreira.

McLaughlin also said that Ferreira entered the US on a tourist visa that required her to leave the country in 1999.

"Under President Trump and [DHS] Secretary [Kristi] Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation," she told WBUR.

Todd Pomerleau, Ferreira's attorney, said that she came to the US legally under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy and is in the process of getting her green card, New Hampshire's WMUR News 9 reported.

"Bruna has no criminal record whatsoever," Pomerleau said. "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, we're hearing that said about anyone who's not a US citizen."

Ferreira's arrest comes as Trump faces growing criticism for its immigration crackdown. While the Trump administration has claimed to focus on the "worst of the worst" criminals, critics say ICE agents are racially profiling people of any legal status and targeting people without criminal records.

The Cato Institute, a conservative think tank, found that 73% of people detained by ICE since Wednesday, Oct. 1, had no criminal convictions. Only 5% of ICE detainees were previously convicted of a violent crime.

Michael Leavitt won $1 million in a DraftKings contest in 2014, the North Andover Eagle Tribune reported. The story said that Leavitt was engaged to Ferreira and their son was eight months old at the time.

Wikimedia Commons - The White House/Margo Martin

Karoline Leavitt has served as White House Press Secretary since President Donald Trump returned to office. In July 2024, the 28-year-old New Hampshire native gave birth to her son, whom she shares with her now-husband, 60-year-old real estate developer Nicholas Riccio.

Riccio and Leavitt got married in January, days before Trump's inauguration.