Emotional Plea from a Mother
The mother of Karoline Leavitt’s nephew spoke out during her first television interview since her relative was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Bruna Caroline Ferreira addressed the White House press secretary on CNN, saying, “You’re a mother. You should know how it feels to be in my position. How would you feel if someone did this to you?”
Ms. Ferreira, 33, was detained last month in Massachusetts for overstaying her tourist visa. She is the mother of Ms. Leavitt’s nephew through her brother, Michael Leavitt. The two women have not communicated for several years.
A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security labeled Ms. Ferreira as a “criminal illegal alien” from Brazil, claiming she entered the U.S. on a B-2 Tourist Visa that expired in June 1999.
Following her detention, her sister Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover legal expenses and challenge the charges against Ms. Ferreira.
The campaign included photographs of Ms. Ferreira and her son, Michael Leavitt Jr., who is 11 years old.
Ms. Rodrigues stated that Ms. Ferreira has been maintaining her status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program established during the Obama administration.
The GoFundMe page highlighted that Bruna was brought to the United States as a child in December 1998 on a visa and has worked hard to build an honest life here while adhering to DACA requirements.
This week, an immigration judge ordered Ms. Ferreira’s release from an ICE Processing Center in Louisiana.
Ms. Ferreira expressed confusion over her detention while she was en route to pick up her son, stating that it “doesn’t make sense.” She added, “I’m trying to find some logical explanation for this situation, but there isn’t one.”
“There are thousands of families being separated every day,” she lamented. “When does it end? When does it stop?”
DHS has alleged that Ms. Ferreira has a criminal history beyond being undocumented; however, both she and her attorney Todd Pomerleau have denied these claims.
“I don’t even have a parking ticket,” she proudly stated.“I carry my name like a badge of honor,” she continued, expressing concern for how this situation affects her son who must witness these events unfold on television.
