Detained Relative Challenges White House Narrative on Immigration Arrest
The controversy surrounding White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt (28) escalated over the weekend as her former sister-in-law, Bruna Karoline Ferreira (33), who is currently detained following an immigration enforcement action, publicly challenged the White House's depiction of her as a "criminal."
In a video interview with The Washington Post on Sunday (local time), Ferreira, the mother of Leavitt’s older brother Michael Leavitt’s son, Michael Leavitt Jr. (11), lashed out at the White House's official statements, labeling them a "sickening lie."
The Custody Dispute: 'A Sickening Lie'
Ferreira specifically targeted the White House’s claim that she had never lived with her son, Michael Jr. She asserted that this claim was "a sickening lie," arguing that they consistently spent time together, including taking him to school and cheering him on at sporting events.
Ferreira recounted the harrowing moment of her arrest, revealing she was on her way to pick up her son. Tears welled up as she spoke: "I keep thinking about the image of him waiting for me in the school dismissal line and being left alone because there was no one to pick him up. I'm so sad that things went down this way."
This public confrontation highlights a deep rift between a key White House official and her former family member, injecting a personal and emotional dimension into the politically charged debate over US immigration policy.
Betrayal and Broken Bonds: 'Believing Her Was My Mistake'
Ferreira described her past relationship with Press Secretary Leavitt as having been "like a little sister." She noted the closeness of their bond, recalling that she had asked Leavitt to be her son's godmother, a request usually reserved for biological siblings.
Ferreira further detailed their recent familial connections, stating that Leavitt allowed her son to attend the White House "Easter Egg Roll" this spring and that she made "every effort" to ensure her son could attend Leavitt’s wedding in January.
"It was my mistake for believing her (Leavitt)," Ferreira stated, expressing her disbelief. "I cannot imagine why they (the White House) are making up these stories."
The 'Criminal' Allegation and DACA Status
Ferreira's legal team has strongly emphasized that she has no criminal record. While she was once summoned to juvenile court at age 16 in 2008 for a fight with a peer, she was never arrested, and the case was reportedly dismissed.
In direct opposition, the White House has acknowledged the family connection but insists that Ferreira had been estranged from the Leavitt family for a long time and had never lived with her son. More controversially, the White House shared a document from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) describing Ferreira as a "criminal," citing a history of violent arrests. However, the White House has repeatedly declined media requests for evidence to substantiate this claim, according to The Washington Post. Furthermore, the White House has offered no comment on the disparity between its official stance and Ferreira's version of events.
Ferreira originally immigrated to the US from Brazil with her family in December 1998 at the age of six. She has been maintaining her residency status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which grants protection from deportation to undocumented young people who meet specific criteria.
She was arrested on November 12 near Revere, Boston, as part of an immigration enforcement operation. She is currently being held at an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) facility in Southern Louisiana, awaiting further action. The administration’s aggressive enforcement against a DACA recipient with deep ties to an official within the current White House raises serious questions about the coherence and priorities of its immigration policy, especially concerning individuals who were brought to the US as children. This incident underscores the precarious legal and personal situations faced by DACA recipients, even those seemingly connected to the political establishment.
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