A woman with ties to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s family is reportedly in ICE custody after being arrested earlier this month. The woman, Bruna Caroline Ferreira of Brazil, is the mother of Leavitt’s nephew and was arrested near Boston on November 12, according to her attorney, who spoke with CNN.
Leavitt’s nephew reportedly lives full-time in New Hampshire with her brother, Michael, while Leavitt herself has not had contact with Ferreira in years. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told TMZ that Ferreira entered the United States on a B2 tourist visa that required her to depart by June 6, 1999.
The spokesperson described Ferreira as “a criminal illegal alien from Brazil,” alleging she has a prior arrest for battery. Ferreira is currently being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center and is undergoing removal proceedings.
The DHS spokesperson added, “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.”
