Mother of White House Press Secretary's Nephew Speaks Out After ICE Detention, Alleging Arrest Without Warrant

Boston, MA — December 13, 2025In an emotional first television interview since her release from immigration custody, Bruna Caroline Ferreira, the mother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's nephew, described her arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as feeling like a premeditated operation, claiming officers arrived in an unmarked vehicle without presenting a warrant.

Ferreira, 33, who immigrated to the United States from Brazil as a six-year-old in 1998, appeared on CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront on Friday, detailing her November 12 arrest in a Boston suburb while en route to pick up her 11-year-old son from school. She shares joint custody of the boy with Michael Leavitt, Karoline Leavitt's brother and her former fiancé. Notably, Karoline Leavitt is the child's godmother.

"They asked me, 'Is your name Bruna?' And I just asked, 'Well, how do you know who I am?'" Ferreira recounted, describing how a "swarm of people" in unmarked vehicles surrounded her.

She alleged no warrant was shown at the scene, a claim echoed by her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, who told CNN the initial stop resembled a routine traffic pull-over before escalating. Pomerleau suggested a warrant was "manufactured" hours later in Vermont, calling the process "highly unusual" and "premeditated."

Following the arrest, Ferreira said she was transferred across multiple states—Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Texas, and finally Louisiana—over 1,500 miles away, without being informed of her destinations. She spent 26 days in detention, much of it at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center, a facility previously reported to have issues including allegations of abuse and medical neglect. An ICE agent reportedly told her it was her "final stop before your deportation," at a place where "hardly anyone ever gets out."

Ferreira only learned her family's whereabouts after another detainee lent her phone minutes. She was released earlier this week after posting a $1,500 bond, the minimum allowed, but remains on a GPS monitor, which her attorney claims was imposed unlawfully. She has not yet seen her son since her release.

"I'm heartbroken for my son," Ferreira said, expressing concern over media coverage potentially terrifying the child. Addressing Karoline Leavitt directly—a new mother herself—Ferreira asked: "You’re a mother now. How would you feel if you were in my shoes? How would you feel if somebody did this to you?"

In some reports, Ferreira questioned Leavitt's actions, stating, "Just because you went to a Catholic school doesn’t make you a good Catholic," and expressing bewilderment over the press secretary's silence.

The Department of Homeland Security has described Ferreira as a "criminal illegal alien" who overstayed a tourist visa expiring in 1999 and has a prior arrest for battery, though details of any resolution remain unclear. Sources close to the Leavitt family have stated the child has lived full-time with his father in New Hampshire since birth and that Ferreira and Karoline Leavitt have not spoken in years.

Ferreira's attorney maintains she was protected under an Obama-era policy, had former Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, and was in the process of obtaining a green card. Pomerleau emphasized that due process applies regardless of family connections: "It shouldn’t matter who she’s related to or not."

Karoline Leavitt has declined to comment on the matter, with a White House source previously stating her primary concern is the child's privacy and well-being.

The case has drawn attention amid the Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement, with ICE arrests rising significantly in 2025. Ferreira's story highlights personal impacts on families, even those with indirect ties to high-level officials advocating for mass deportations. Her legal battle continues as she fights to remain in the U.S. and reunite fully with her son.