The Trump administration confirmed Wednesday that the mother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s nephew has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is now in active removal proceedings — a development that underscores the administration’s unapologetically strict enforcement of immigration law, regardless of personal connections.
ICE arrested Bruna Ferreira, a Brazilian national, earlier this month, according to the Department of Homeland Security. A DHS spokesperson said Ferreira entered the U.S. on a tourist visa requiring her departure by June 1999, but she overstayed for more than two decades. The spokesperson also noted she has a prior arrest for battery.
“She is currently at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center and is in removal proceedings,” the spokesperson said. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.”
Ferreira has a son with Leavitt’s brother, but a source familiar with the situation said Ferreira and the child’s father have not spoken in years. The child reportedly lives full-time with Leavitt’s brother in New Hampshire.
WBUR, which first broke the story, reported that Ferreira’s sister launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her legal defense. The fundraiser claims Ferreira entered the United States as a child in 1998 and was protected under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) — though DHS has not confirmed her eligibility. DACA is intended for individuals brought into the country illegally as minors, but it does not protect those who overstayed visas, nor does it override criminal history or deportation orders.
Trump Administration Crackdown Continues
The case reflects the Trump administration’s ramped-up immigration enforcement since taking office in January. Officials have repeatedly stated they aim to remove the “worst of the worst” — including individuals with criminal records and long-standing violations — although federal courts have occasionally blocked broader deportation actions.
Leavitt, as the White House’s top spokesperson, has been a consistent advocate for Trump’s immigration agenda, including securing the border, reinstating deterrence policies, and expanding deportations of those in the country unlawfully.
In the administration’s view, Ferreira’s case reinforces its message: no one is exempt from immigration law — not even someone connected to a senior White House official.
A Contrast With Previous Administrations
The situation also highlights a sharp contrast with the Biden-era approach that preceded Trump’s return to office, during which interior enforcement was scaled back and millions of illegal immigrants avoided removal entirely. Under Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS has returned to full statutory enforcement, removing discretion that critics argue allowed dangerous or unlawful individuals to remain in the country for years.
Ferreira will now proceed through immigration court, where a judge will determine whether she is deported.
For the Trump administration, the message remains consistent: America’s immigration laws will be enforced — even when doing so is politically inconvenient or personally uncomfortable.
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