Bruna Ferreira, a 33-year-old Brazilian woman with connections to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, will be released from the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as she continues to contest her potential deportation. An immigration judge granted her release on a $1,500 bond on Monday, after her attorney successfully argued that she posed no danger or flight risk.
Ferreira was arrested on November 12 in Revere, Massachusetts, while on her way to pick up her 11-year-old son. She previously had been engaged to Leavitt's brother, Michael. Following her arrest, she was transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana, where her case has garnered media attention due to its connections to the current administration.
Her attorney Todd Pomerleau stated, The government stipulated to our argument and never once argued that she was a criminal illegal alien and waived appeal. This follows the Department of Homeland Security labeling Ferreira a “criminal illegal alien” and alleging a prior arrest for battery—a claim Pomerleau has denied.
Karoline Leavitt, who grew up in New Hampshire, previously made an unsuccessful bid for Congress and later worked as a spokesperson for Donald Trump's 2024 campaign before stepping into her current role. The intertwining of personal relationships and immigration enforcement raises critical questions about the influence of political connections on such policy actions, especially as Ferreira seeks to obtain a green card through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
