The mother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s nephew has publicly questioned the press secretary’s faith and sharply criticized the Trump administration after spending nearly a month in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. In her first interview since being released, Bruna-Caroline Ferreira described her arrest, detention, and the public statements made about her as devastating, misleading, and deeply personal, particularly for her 11-year-old son.
Speaking emotionally in a sit-down interview with CNN, Ferreira said her experience exposed what she views as broader problems within the U.S. immigration enforcement system under President Trump, who is currently serving his second term. She accused the White House of mischaracterizing her background and questioned why senior officials would publicly portray her in a way she insists is untrue.
A Detention That Sparked National Attention
Ferreira, 33, a Brazilian national who moved to the United States as a child in 1998, was detained by ICE while on her way to pick up her son from school in Massachusetts. According to her account, two unmarked vans boxed in her vehicle before agents arrested her without advance warning.
She said she was allowed only one emergency phone call immediately after the arrest and then spent 26 days in detention without access to her phone. During that time, she was transferred through multiple facilities across the country, including stops in New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Texas, and ultimately Louisiana, often without being told where she was being taken next.
Ferreira described the experience as disorienting and frightening, adding that the repeated transfers compounded her sense of helplessness. “I can’t wrap my mind around it,” she said, noting that the lack of information intensified her distress.
Family Ties to the White House
Ferreira was previously engaged to Michael Leavitt, the brother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The former couple share custody of their 11-year-old son, also named Michael. Despite the close family connection, Ferreira said she has not spoken with Karoline Leavitt since her arrest.
She also revealed that the press secretary is the godmother of her son, a detail that, in Ferreira’s view, makes her treatment even harder to understand. “You are a mother,” she said, directing remarks to Leavitt during the interview. “How would you feel if you were in my shoes?”
Karoline Leavitt has not publicly commented on the case and has largely stayed out of the controversy surrounding Ferreira’s detention.
Challenging the White House Narrative
In the aftermath of the arrest, the White House stated that Ferreira had overstayed a tourist visa and claimed she had never lived with her son. Ferreira forcefully rejected those assertions, calling them false and unnecessary.
“Why lie?” she asked, pointing to what she described as an extensive digital footprint showing her involvement in her child’s life. She said friends and family were shocked by the statements, particularly given the ease with which such claims could be disputed in 2025.
Ferreira said she was especially troubled by being publicly labeled a “criminal illegal alien,” emphasizing that she has no criminal record. “I don’t even have a parking ticket,” she said, adding that the description deeply affected her and her family.
Questioning Faith and Moral Responsibility
One of the most striking moments of the interview came when Ferreira questioned whether the White House press secretary lives up to the values she publicly associates with her Catholic education.
“Just because you went to a Catholic school doesn’t make you a good Catholic,” Ferreira said, framing her comments around what she sees as a lack of compassion shown toward her and her son.
She argued that her treatment contradicted principles of empathy and family unity, particularly given her long-standing ties to the United States and her role as a mother. Her remarks highlighted the emotional dimension of the case, which has resonated with critics of the administration’s immigration policies.
Impact on a Child and a Family
Ferreira repeatedly returned to the impact of her detention on her son, saying she remains heartbroken over what he may have endured while she was held. She expressed fear that constant media coverage portraying her as a criminal could traumatize him.
“My child is watching this 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” she said. “As a child, he must be terrified.” Ferreira said her priority now is reassuring her son that the allegations made against her are not true.
She also noted that family separations like hers are not isolated incidents. “I’m not the first, and I’m not going to be the last,” she said, questioning how long such practices will continue.
Legal Questions and Allegations of Premeditation
Ferreira’s attorney, Todd Pomerleau, appeared alongside her during the interview and suggested the arrest may have been premeditated due to her connection to the White House. He said ICE agents appeared to know her identity immediately, even though the car she was driving was not registered in her name.
Pomerleau further alleged that the arrest occurred one day after Ferreira filed a new green card application, arguing that this timing may have prompted authorities to accelerate enforcement action. He also claimed Ferreira’s phone was broken during the arrest, despite what he described as a non-violent apprehension.
“This is a woman with two businesses, a single mother paying her taxes,” Pomerleau said, criticizing the use of a for-profit detention facility and calling the treatment “unconscionable.”
Silence from the White House
As of publication, the White House has not responded to requests for comment regarding Ferreira’s claims. The administration has maintained its general position on immigration enforcement under President Trump’s second term but has not addressed the specific allegations raised in the interview.
Ferreira said she hopes speaking out will draw attention to the broader human consequences of immigration enforcement decisions. For now, she remains focused on rebuilding her life and supporting her son after what she described as one of the most painful experiences she has ever endured.
