White House press secretary’s relative detained by ICE

Thursday, November 27, 2025 -Karoline Leavitt — the current White House press secretary — is now connected to a high‑profile immigration matter after a relative was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

The woman in custody, Bruna Caroline Ferreira, is the mother of Leavitt’s nephew. She was arrested on November 12 while driving to pick up her 11‑year‑old son in Massachusetts and has since been transferred to an ICE processing facility in Louisiana.

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Ferreira overstayed her B‑2 tourist visa — which officially expired in 1999 — and was previously arrested on a battery charge. Her lawyer, however, disputes those claims, asserting that Ferreira has no criminal record and that she entered the U.S. as a child. 

She had been protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and was reportedly applying for permanent residency at the time of her arrest.

The case has drawn attention and controversy because of the family connection to a high‑level White House official. While Karoline Leavitt has not publicly commented on the detention, sources inside the administration have said she was not involved. 

The child at the center of the case reportedly lives full-time with his father (Leavitt’s brother), but the arrest has nonetheless raised questions about the reach of immigration enforcement under the current administration — even when it touches people with ties to the White House.