Relative Of White House Press Secretary Accuses Her After Dramatic ICE Detention

Bruna Ferreira, a 33-year-old Brazilian national, says she once had a close relationship with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and is now speaking out from inside ICE custody after being detained in Revere, Massachusetts.

Ferreira told The Washington Post that she arrived in the United States at age six and was picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while driving to pick up her 11-year-old son from school. She is currently held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile.

Video Evidence: A roughly 90‑second clip that surfaced shows Ferreira driving in a parking lot when multiple unmarked, tinted-window vehicles box her in. Masked agents ordered her out of the car, handcuffed her and escorted her away while another agent drove off in her vehicle. Her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, says the maneuver appeared targeted and that no warrant was presented on camera.

Disputed Background Claims: The Department of Homeland Security and White House statements described Ferreira as having a prior arrest. Pomerleau calls those statements false; no public court records reviewed by reporters show a prior arrest for Ferreira. Pomerleau also says Ferreira was in the process of applying for a green card and had previously been covered by DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).

Family Ties And Tensions: Ferreira says she was once close to Leavitt, who she described as “like a younger sister.” She disputes portrayals from some White House allies that Leavitt had not spoken to her for years, noting the two families were together recently at a recreational event for her son. Ferreira alleges that her ex‑fiancé, Karoline’s brother Michael Leavitt, threatened to have her deported after their 2015 split; Michael has denied involvement in her detention and told the Post he had no role in the ICE action.

Legal Concerns: Pomerleau warns that advice from family members to "self‑deport" and attempt to return legally could constitute a legal trap that would bar Ferreira from reentering the U.S. for up to 10 years under federal immigration rules. He says his client believes she was targeted.

Additional Context: Public records cited in reporting show Michael Leavitt has a prior conviction for driving under the influence from 2009 and a 2011 Miami arrest for disorderly conduct that was later dropped. The Daily Beast and other outlets have sought comment from ICE and the White House; none have provided a substantive public response to the detailed allegations as of the latest reports.

“The thought of my son waiting for me at the school car pickup line and having no one to be there to pick him up is the thing that I keep replaying in my head,” Ferreira told the Post.

The situation raises questions about the intersection of immigration enforcement and personal relationships tied to a senior White House official; reporters continue to seek confirmation and comment from federal agencies and the Leavitt family.