Relatives of Karoline Leavitt’s nephew’s mother have responded to the detention of Bruna Ferreira by ICE.
Recently, news surfaced that Bruna Ferreira had been taken into custody by ICE and now faces the possibility of being deported to Brazil.
Ferreira has a son with Leavitt’s brother Michael, an 11-year-old named Michael Jr. The two were reportedly engaged at one point but have been separated for over ten years.
Ferreira has been labeled as a ‘criminal illegal alien from Brazil.’ As of November 25, she was held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) informed the Daily Beast: “She has a previous arrest for battery. She entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa that required her to depart the U.S. by June 6, 1999.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.”
Ferreira’s family has now spoken out, asserting that she has been in the United States since childhood.
Her sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, told The Boston Globe: “She’s been here since she was six years old. She’s more American than she is anything else.”
It appears Bob Leavitt, the father of Karoline and Michael, has contacted Ferreira. Her sister claims she was advised to ‘self deport’.
“They just kept saying, ‘tell her to self-deport,'” she said. “Self-deport to where? Brazil is not her home.”
While Bob has apparently attempted contact, Karoline, who is the White House Press Secretary, has not made any outreach.
Dos Santos Rodrigues commented: “If she were to help in any way, if she were willing to do anything to help us, she would have reached out by now.
“She has my phone number. We’ve been family for the last 13 years.
“I understand the policies and how it looks. But I also think when it comes to family, you put certain things aside. I don’t care who you work for.”
John J. Loscocco, the attorney for Ferreira, disputes DHS’s statement regarding her past arrest, stating that she has ‘no conviction of any kind’.
Loscocco is also puzzled by Ferreira’s detention, noting that she is not a flight risk and does not pose a threat to the community.
“This is unusual,” Loscocco remarked regarding the situation.
Requests for comments have been sent to the White House’s press office regarding the issue.