Bruna Ferriera GoFundMe: Latest on Karoline Leavitt’s relative, who was detained by ICE

Ferriera's family has started a fundraising campaign to pay legal costs and reunite her with her 11-year-old son before the holidays as she faces deportation.

Bruna Caroline Ferreira, mother of Karoline Leavitt's nephew, is held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and facing deportation.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (REUTERS)

Ferreira, a 33-year-old Brazilian native, was arrested on November 12 by ICE agents in Revere, Massachusetts.

GoFundMe for Ferreira

A GoFundMe campaign initiated by Ferreira’s sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, is nearing its target as supporters rally to secure legal defence funds for the detained immigrant. The campaign description pleads for help, “bringing Bruna home from immigration detention and reuniting her with her son.”

The GoFundMe has raised about $23,000, or 79% of the $30,000 target as of Wednesday, November 26, 1:30 p.m.

“Anyone who knows Bruna knows the kind of person she is. She is hardworking, kind, and always the first to offer help when someone needs it. Whether it’s supporting family, friends, or even strangers, Bruna has a heart that puts others before herself,” the GoFundMe reads.

According to the charity page, her son, the nephew of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, has been deeply affected by the separation, especially as the holiday season approaches. The fundraiser notes the emotional toll on the child, who hopes to see his mother home by Thanksgiving or Christmas.

The GoFundMe spokesperson told Newsweek that, “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.”

ICE's case vs the family's claims

ICE officials allege that Ferreira overstayed a B-2 tourist visa that expired in 1999, and cite a prior arrest for battery. The latter detail, however, was challenged by her legal team, who say they find no record of any conviction.

Ferreira’s attorney maintains she was previously protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and was in the process of obtaining permanent residency when she was detained.

A detailed profile of Ferreira on the GoFundMe page states that she was brought to the U.S. as a child in 1998, and her sister said she’s been here since she was 6 years old.

The GoFundMe page says she “maintained her legal status through DACA” and has “done everything in her power to build a stable, honest life here.”

Familial link to Karoline Leavitt

The case has drawn additional attention because of Ferreira’s indirect connection to Karoline Leavitt. Her brother Michael Leavitt, the boy’s father, has full-time custody of their son in New Hampshire.

A White House official has clarified that Leavitt “had no involvement whatsoever” in her relative’s detention.