A routine ICE arrest that suddenly became national news
Bruna Ferreira came to the United States from Brazil when she was a young child and grew up like any typical American. She played on her high school tennis team, got married and divorced, started a small cleaning business, and dedicated herself to raising her son. Nothing about her life stood out — until she became the subject of an ICE arrest that suddenly made national headlines.
Earlier this month, ICE agents detained Ferreira outside her home in a Boston suburb as she was leaving to pick up her son from school. At first, it seemed like just another immigration arrest in President Donald Trump’s expanded deportation campaign. But a single detail changed everything.
A White House Family Link Emerges
During her arrest, Ferreira repeatedly told officers that her son’s aunt is Karoline Leavitt — the White House press secretary. Her ex-fiancé and father of her 11-year-old son, Michael Leavitt, is Karoline’s older brother.
According to her sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, Ferreira likely mentioned the connection in desperation, hoping it would help her. It did not. But the revelation that she is indirectly connected to one of the most visible defenders of Trump’s deportation policies turned her case into a national controversy.
Conflicting Accounts of Her Immigration Past
The U.S. government has described Ferreira as a “criminal undocumented immigrant,” claiming she was arrested for assault. Her attorneys strongly dispute that characterization. They say she has no criminal record and previously held protection under DACA — the Obama-era program that shields eligible immigrants who arrived as children.
Ferreira, 33, is currently being held at an ICE detention center in Louisiana while she awaits deportation proceedings. Her sister emphasized that Bruna is “more American than anything else,” having spent nearly her entire life in the United States.
Her Life in America: School, Work, and Family
Ferreira arrived in the U.S. at age six on a tourist visa that expired in 1999. Instead of leaving, she grew up in the Boston area, attended Melrose High School, played tennis, and graduated in 2011. Her senior yearbook quote — “La vita è bella” — expressed her hopes of becoming “older, wiser, and successful” by 2021.
Shortly after graduating, she married a classmate, but the marriage ended within a year. She later became engaged to Michael Leavitt, whose family owns a car dealership in New Hampshire. A 2014 Salem News article profiled Michael after he won $1 million in a fantasy football contest, featuring a photo of him, Ferreira, and their infant son.
The couple never married, and their son eventually lived with his father in New Hampshire while Ferreira moved back to Massachusetts.
A Mother Deeply Involved in Her Son’s Life
Despite living in different states, Ferreira remained closely involved in her son’s life. She frequently traveled between Massachusetts and New Hampshire to visit him, cooked Brazilian meals for him, and took him to places like Dave & Buster’s. Photos on her Facebook page show her spending holidays with him, taking him trick-or-treating, and attending his first Red Sox game.
Michael Leavitt told WMUR, a CNN affiliate, that although Ferreira has stayed connected with their son, the boy has not spoken to her since her detention. He described the situation as painful and said he hopes only for what is best for the child.
Friends and former coworkers described Ferreira as kind, hardworking, and devoted to her family.
DACA Complications and Legal Uncertainty
Ferreira was previously a DACA recipient, according to her attorney, Todd Pomerleau. She lost her status several years ago during efforts by the Trump administration to end the program in his first term. Pomerleau says she is now in the middle of a “legal immigration process” to obtain U.S. citizenship.
There has been no recent contact between Ferreira and Karoline Leavitt, according to family members. But the political implications of the connection have brought intense scrutiny to her case.
A Symbol of the Broader Immigration Crackdown
Ferreira’s arrest comes amid a nationwide surge in immigration enforcement, with ICE raids occurring in multiple states. Her case has become a symbol of the personal and emotional consequences of these policies, particularly because of her indirect link to the administration leading them.
What Happens Next
Ferreira remains at the Louisiana detention center as her immigration case moves forward. Her family hopes she will be released soon. Her young son asks repeatedly when his mother will come home — whether she’ll be back for Thanksgiving, for Christmas, or anytime soon.
For now, the answer remains uncertain.
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Source: CNN