• Bruna Ferreira arrested in Massachusetts while driving to pick up son she shares with Michael Leavitt

• DHS cites visa overstay and alleged battery record while attorney disputes criminal history claims

• Arrest highlights broader immigration crackdown under Trump administration affecting mixed-status families

REVERE, MA (TDR) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have arrested a woman with close family ties to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, detaining her during a traffic stop in Massachusetts. Bruna Ferreira, who shares an 11-year-old son with Leavitt’s brother, Michael, was taken into custody on November 12 and has since been transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana.

Targeted Traffic Stop

The arrest occurred in Revere, Massachusetts, as Ferreira was driving to New Hampshire to pick up her son from school. According to her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, the 33-year-old Brazilian national was pulled over and detained without immediate explanation.

“She was arrested, was never told why, and shipped to the South,” Pomerleau stated, describing the transfer of his client to the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center as an “unconstitutional merry-go-round.”

Ferreira arrived in the United States from Brazil as a child and reportedly held status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Her legal team asserts she was in the process of applying for a green card and had no disqualifying criminal record.

Conflicting Narratives on Criminal History

A significant dispute has emerged regarding the justification for Ferreira’s detention. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the arrest, identifying Ferreira as a “criminal illegal alien” who overstayed a tourist visa that expired in June 1999. The agency further alleged that she has a prior arrest for battery.

“Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.” — Department of Homeland Security Spokesperson

Pomerleau vehemently denied the government’s characterization, challenging officials to produce evidence of the alleged crime. “Bruna has no criminal record whatsoever. I don’t know where that is coming from. Show us the proof,” he told reporters. He emphasized that DACA recipients are subject to strict background checks, implying that any serious criminal history would have previously disqualified her from the program.

Family Response and Distance

The arrest has drawn attention due to Ferreira’s connection to the White House. She was previously engaged to Michael Leavitt, the older brother of President Trump’s press secretary. The couple shares a son, though they are no longer in a relationship.

In a statement, Michael Leavitt distanced himself from the legal proceedings, focusing on his child. “My only concern has always been the safety, well-being, and privacy of my son,” he said. Sources close to the situation indicate that the child lives full-time with his father in New Hampshire.

Karoline Leavitt has not publicly commented on the arrest. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that the press secretary and Ferreira have not spoken in years. The silence stands in contrast to Leavitt’s vocal defense of the administration’s aggressive deportation policies, which have ramped up significantly since the start of 2025.

Broader Implications of Enforcement

Immigration advocates argue that Ferreira’s case illustrates the widening net of the administration’s crackdown, which affects not just recent border crossers but also long-term residents with deep community ties. Ferreira owns a small business and a clothing line in the Boston area.

Her sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, has launched a fundraising campaign to cover legal expenses, describing Ferreira as “more American than she is anything else.” The case highlights the complexities faced by mixed-status families, even those with proximity to political power.

DHS officials maintain that the enforcement actions are consistent with the law. With ICE aiming to hire thousands of additional officers, the agency has signaled that no unauthorized immigrant is exempt from removal, regardless of family connections or prior protected status.

How should immigration policy balance strict enforcement with the humanitarian considerations of long-term residents who arrived as children?