ICE Arrest of Karoline Leavitt's Nephew's Mother: A Fact-Check

Detainment of Bruna Ferreira

• 🇧🇷 Bruna Ferreira, a 33-year-old immigrant from Brazil, was detained by ICE agents while picking up her son from school.
• 👶 She is the mother of an 11-year-old boy who she shares with Michael Leavitt, the brother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
• 🗣️ Ferreira's sister stated that Bruna mentioned her connection to Karoline Leavitt out of panic, highlighting her long-term residency in the US since childhood.

Conflicting Reports on Background and Status

• 📰 Some media reports, citing anonymous White House sources, claimed the child lived full-time with his father and never with his mother.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Bruna Ferreira's sister disputes this, stating that while the parents broke up over a decade ago, they share custody and the son lived with them.
• 🏈 An article from 2014 featuring Michael Leavitt winning a fantasy football prize shows Bruna Ferreira quoted as his fiance, suggesting they lived together.

Official Statements and Legal Defense

• 🚨 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) labeled Bruna Ferreira a "criminal illegal alien" from Brazil with a previous arrest for battery.
• ⚖️ Ferreira's lawyers refute the DHS claims, stating she has no criminal record and entered the US lawfully as a child through the DACA system, and is seeking a green card.
• ❓ Lawyers argue the DHS is labeling her a criminal based on a charge they believe does not exist.

Karoline Leavitt's Response

• 🤐 Karoline Leavitt has not made any public statement regarding her brother's ex-fiance and has declined to comment to the media.
• 📸 She has posted photos of her nephew on social media, indicating a relationship, but has not directly reached out to Bruna Ferreira's family.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Bruna Ferreira's sister mentioned that other Leavitt family members have encouraged her to tell Bruna to self-deport.