A woman with family connections to Karoline Leavitt was ‘terrified’ and ‘frantic’ as she was swarmed by ICE agents and arrested while trying to pick up her son at school, her sister revealed.
Bruna Ferreira – who came to the country in 1998 from Brazil under the DACA program – was apprehended by ICE agents in Revere, Massachusetts earlier this month.
Ferreira’s sister Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, 27, told The Boston Globe that the mom was apprehended while trying to pick up her 11-year-old son, Michael Leavitt Jr.
‘They were not the most gentle with her,’ she said of the agents, who swarmed her car after Ferreira drove from Massachusetts to New Hampshire to pick up Michael.
‘I’m sure my sister was terrified, frantic. She’s been here since she was six years old. She’s more American than she is anything else,’ she added.
She even told agents that her son’s aunt worked in the White House – to no avail.
‘I’m sure she tried to just use whatever she could come up with in the moment. However, it didn’t really help very much.’
Leavitt Jr named after his father Michael Leavitt Sr, the brother of the White House Press Secretary.
Rodrigues – who launched the Gofundme to support her sister – claims that both Michael Sr and his father, Bob Leavitt, have offered less than useful advice to Ferreira.
Bruna Ferreira – who came to the country in 1998 from Brazil under the DACA program – was apprehended by ICE agents in Revere, Massachusetts earlier this month. Pictured: Ferreira with her son, Michael Leavitt Jr and his father, Michael Leavitt Sr
Leavitt Jr named after his father Michael Leavitt Sr, the brother of the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (pictured), who is Michael Jr’s godmother
‘They just kept saying, ‘Tell her to self-deport.’ Self-deport to where? Brazil is not her home.’
Ferreira is currently being held at an ICE facility in southern Louisiana.
John J. Loscocco, an attorney representing Ferreira, says he hasn’t had any contact with his client and won’t be able to until her court hearing sometime next week and doesn’t know why she was detained.
Ferreira arrived in the United States as a child with her family, who had traveled from Brazil.
Her lawyer said she had arrived in 1998 under the federally protected DACA program and was in the process of getting her residency.
Michael Sr said in a statement that the 11-year-old lives with him and his wife full-time, but has always maintained a relationship with his biological mother.
He told WBUR his ‘only concern has always been the safety, well-being, and privacy of [his] son.’
Michael Sr said the little boy has not had an opportunity to speak with his mom since she was first detained by ICE ‘several weeks ago.’
Rodrigues claims that both Michael Sr (pictured left with his wife, Kara) and his father, Bob Leavitt, have offered less than useful advice to Ferreira
Ferreira is currently being held at an ICE facility in southern Louisiana
A source familiar with the family dynamic told the Daily Mail that Karoline has not spoken with her nephew’s mother in many years.
‘The child has lived full-time in New Hampshire with his father since he was born. He has never resided with his mother.’
Rodrigues also said Wednesday that Leavitt has not even reached out to help.
‘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,’ Rodrigues said.
The boy lives with his father and his wife full-time, but maintains a relationship with his mother and Rodrigues believes their relationship should count for something.
‘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.’
Rodrigues has FaceTimed with her nephew and offered emotional support.
‘He needs his mom home. He’s always asking, ‘When’s my mom coming home? Will she be home for Thanksgiving? Will she be home for Christmas?’ I don’t know what to tell him.’
Michael said the 11-year-old boy lives with he and his wife full-time, but has always maintained a relationship with his biological mother. He also has a brother (pictured together with President Trump)
The boy lives with his father and his wife full-time, but maintains a relationship with his mother (pictured left)
The Department of Homeland Security told the Daily Mail that Ferreira is a ‘criminal illegal alien’ who ‘has a previous arrest for battery.
‘She entered the US on a B2 tourist visa that required her to depart the US by June 6, 1999,’ the spokesman said.
‘Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.’
Todd Pomerleau, another attorney representing Ferreira, said she was totally blindsided by her arrest and railed against DHS’s allegations about her supposed criminal charge.
‘Bruna has no criminal record whatsoever,’ Pomerleau said.
‘I don’t know where that is coming from. Show us the proof. There’s no charges out there. She’s not a criminal illegal alien.
‘She’s in the process of actually getting her residency and she was abruptly arrested and taken from her young child right before Thanksgiving.’
Rodrigues shared details of her sister’s ordeal in a GoFundMe seeking donations to cover her legal expenses.
The Department of Homeland Security told the Daily Mail that Ferreira is a ‘criminal illegal alien’ who ‘has a previous arrest for battery’
An attorney representing Ferreira said she was totally blindsided by her arrest and railed against DHS’s allegations about her supposed criminal charge
She wrote: ‘My family is going through one of the most difficult moments of our lives, and we’re reaching out with a humble plea for help.
‘My sister, Bruna, was recently detained by immigration and is now fighting to stay in the country she has called home for nearly her entire life.’
The family argued that Ferreira was brought to the United States in 1998 on a visa, and has since done ‘everything in her power to build a stable, honest life here.
‘She has maintained her legal status through DACA, followed every requirement, and has always strived to do the right thing,’ Rodrigues added.
‘Anyone who knows Bruna knows the kind of person she is. She is hardworking, kind, and always the first to offer help when someone needs it. Whether it’s supporting family, friends, or even strangers, Bruna has a heart that puts others before herself.
‘Bruna’s absence has been especially painful for her 11-year-old son, Michael Leavitt Junior, who needs his mother and hopes every single day that she’ll be home in time for the holidays.’
She and Michael separated about ten years ago, insiders say. During their relationship, Michael reportedly won $1 million in a DraftKings competition.
At the time, he was engaged to Ferreira and their son was eight months old. Speaking to The North Andover Eagle-Tribune, the couple said they were ‘speechless’ but’ don’t really need much.’
‘We have our health. We have a nice condo. We really are blessed,’ Fereirra said. ‘I need the lights fixed on the back of my car, and we need a lamp for my son’s room.’
The startling revelation about Karoline’s family connection comes hours after a new poll from Daily Mail/JL Partners revealed Americans have an increasingly negative view of ICE’s hawkish operations.
The agency has only a 34 percent approval rating – a four-point drop from October.
Some 45 percent of the 1,246 registered voters surveyed online disapprove of the agency.
The results come after podcaster Joe Rogan, who gave an 11th-hour endorsement of Trump in the 2024 election, reupped his criticism of the ICE raids this month.
‘You got ICE raids, where they’re taking people that are American citizens and they’re scaring the s*** out of everybody,’ Rogan said in his November 18 episode with fellow podcaster Theo Von – both who attended Trump‘s second inauguration.
