ICE mom Bruna Ferreira, mother of Karoline Leavitt’s nephew, says she made a mistake trusting Trump’s Press Secretary

Bruna Ferreira, who is an immigrant mother held by ICE, said she “made a mistake” by “trusting” her in-laws, who include White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Ferreira said the family painted her as a “criminal” and an absent parent after her arrest. She was arrested by ICE on November 12 when several unmarked SUVs blocked her car. She now faces deportation to Brazil because she overstayed a visa from 1998, when she came to the U.S. as a child.

Ferreira has an 11-year-old son with Michael Leavitt, who is Karoline Leavitt’s brother. In a video interview from a Louisiana detention center, she said she once even asked Karoline Leavitt to be her son’s godmother, as noted by Washington Post. She said, “I asked Karoline to be godmother over my only sister… I made a mistake there, in trusting.”

ICE arrest details

Ferreira said she does not understand why the White House is “creating this narrative” about her, as per the report by Media ITE. The White House has said she was not close to the Leavitt family and was not involved in raising her son. Officials even shared a Homeland Security statement that labeled Ferreira a “criminal.” Ferreira said this label is “insulting” and “disgusting,” especially because she knows the real family situation.

Family relationship facts

According to the Washington Post, court records, family photos, and her own story show she actually had a much deeper connection to the family. For almost 10 years, she and Michael Leavitt shared parenting duties for their son. Ferreira and Michael first met at a nightclub and had their son before breaking up in 2015.

Michael had once threatened to get her deported, according to the reporting. But Michael Leavitt told the Washington Post he had nothing to do with her recent arrest. He said, “I have no control over that and had no involvement in that whatsoever”, as per the report by Media ITE.

Ferreira rejected the claim that she was not present in her son’s life. She said she approved her son’s visit to the White House Easter Egg Roll earlier this year. She also said she “moved mountains” to make sure her son could attend Karoline Leavitt’s wedding in January, as cited by Washington Post. Ferreira said her biggest fear is being separated from her son forever. She said, “He needs me now. He doesn’t need me in 20 years.”

FAQs

Q1. Why was Bruna Ferreira arrested by ICE?

Bruna Ferreira was arrested because she overstayed a childhood visa from 1998 and now faces deportation.

Q2. What is Bruna Ferreira’s link to Karoline Leavitt?

She shares a son with Leavitt’s brother and once asked Karoline Leavitt to be the child’s godmother, showing a close family connection.