A woman with a family connection to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Revere, Massachusetts.The woman, Bruna Ferreira, has an 11-year-old son with Michael Leavitt, Karoline Leavitt’s brother.Ferreira migrated with her family to the United States from Brazil as a child and is currently in custody at an ICE facility in southern Louisiana. Michael Leavitt released a statement, saying that his “only concern has always been the safety, well-being, and privacy of son.”In a conversation with WCVB-TV sister station WMUR-TV, Michael Leavitt, a New Hampshire resident, said that his son lives with him and his wife full-time, but that Ferreira has maintained a relationship with her son. Michael Leavitt told WMUR that he always tried to maintain a relationship with Ferreira. He said their son has not spoken to Ferreira since she was detained by ICE several weeks ago.Todd Pomerleau, an attorney who represents Ferreira, says she came to the U.S. under DACA or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era program that shielded immigrants brought to the country from deportation.”She’s in the process of actually getting her residency and she was abruptly arrested and taken from her young child right before Thanksgiving,” Pomerleau said.According to a statement provided to WCVB from a source familiar with the matter, Karoline Leavitt has not spoken to Ferreira in many years: “This individual is the mother of Karoline’s nephew and they have not spoken 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.”A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson also released the following statement on Ferreira’s arrest: “ICE arrested Bruna Caroline Ferreria, a criminal illegal alien from Brazil. 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,” the statement read. “She is currently at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center and is in removal proceedings. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.”However, Pomerleau says that Ferreira has no criminal record.”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.”Karoline Leavitt is a native of New Hampshire and unsuccessfully ran for Congress before becoming White House Press Secretary. She has declined to comment on the matter.
A woman with a family connection to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Revere, Massachusetts.
The woman, Bruna Ferreira, has an 11-year-old son with Michael Leavitt, Karoline Leavitt’s brother.
Ferreira migrated with her family to the United States from Brazil as a child and is currently in custody at an ICE facility in southern Louisiana.
Michael Leavitt released a statement, saying that his “only concern has always been the safety, well-being, and privacy of [his] son.”
In a conversation with WCVB-TV sister station WMUR-TV, Michael Leavitt, a New Hampshire resident, said that his son lives with him and his wife full-time, but that Ferreira has maintained a relationship with her son.
Michael Leavitt told WMUR that he always tried to maintain a relationship with Ferreira. He said their son has not spoken to Ferreira since she was detained by ICE several weeks ago.
Todd Pomerleau, an attorney who represents Ferreira, says she came to the U.S. under DACA or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era program that shielded immigrants brought to the country from deportation.
“She’s in the process of actually getting her residency and she was abruptly arrested and taken from her young child right before Thanksgiving,” Pomerleau said.
According to a statement provided to WCVB from a source familiar with the matter, Karoline Leavitt has not spoken to Ferreira in many years:
“This individual is the mother of Karoline’s nephew and they have not spoken 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.”
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson also released the following statement on Ferreira’s arrest:
“ICE arrested Bruna Caroline Ferreria, a criminal illegal alien from Brazil. 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,” the statement read. “She is currently at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center and is in removal proceedings. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.”
However, Pomerleau says that Ferreira has no criminal record.
“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.”
Karoline Leavitt is a native of New Hampshire and unsuccessfully ran for Congress before becoming White House Press Secretary. She has declined to comment on the matter.
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