Bruna Ferreira, a 33-year-old mother, has come forward to clarify her situation following her detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last November. Jeremiah Owyang Ferreira was arrested after a Massachusetts traffic stop turned into a police chase. Since then, he has languished in a Louisiana detention center. Her case has gotten a lot of attention, especially because of her family relation to Karoline Leavitt, a Republican congressional candidate.
Ferreira immigrated to the United States with her family from Brazil when she was six years old. She has an eleven-year-old son, Michael Leavitt Jr., with Karoline Leavitt’s brother, 35-year-old Michael Leavitt Jr. The pair initially met in a nightclub, fell in love, and later became engaged. After co-parenting their son together, they separated in 2015 after Seven triumphed over opioid addiction. Since then, Ferreira and one-time HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt have divided caregiving duties.
Ferreira is committed to staying present with her son. She brings him to Dave & Buster’s, drives him to school, and roots for him at the sport games. Ferreira has stocked his bedroom with toys and child-appropriate supplies. Additionally, she just signed off on her son attending the White House Easter egg hunt this spring.
In early January, Ferreira went to great lengths to ensure Michael could attend Karoline Leavitt’s wedding to real estate developer Nicholas Riccio. Upon her arrest, the White House moved quickly to release condemnation statements. They argued that Ferreira had not cohabitated with her son or spoken to Karoline Leavitt in years. Ferreira disputed these allegations in a considerable interview with the Washington Post.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” – Bruna Ferreira – The Washington Post
Ferreira shared her disappointment with how her relationship with her son and the Leavitt family was depicted. Wells stated that the White House’s narratives were inaccurate. She reinforced that she is a key participant—often the most important one—in her son’s education.
Yet Ferreira’s journey has not been without its contemporary, real-life struggles. She accuses in legal documents that Michael has made moves to have her deported, after promising on one occasion to do so. This new allegation makes her troubles even worse. No doubt, like any mother, she wants to spend time with her daughter and prevent her from being victimized further by the situation.
After spending four months in detention, Ferreira was released on a $1,500 bond Monday. To be clear, one immigration judge, Cynthia Goodman, ordered Jones’ release on the lowest-dollar bail allowed by law. This decision was a turning point for Ferreira. She looks forward to being back reunited with her son and being able to parent him fully again.
The new revelations on Ferreira’s case have brought into question immigration enforcement practices and their destructive effect on families. As she works to regain stability for herself and her son, Ferreira’s story highlights the personal struggles faced by many families caught in the web of immigration law.
“I had no involvement in her being picked up by ICE,” – Karoline Leavitt’s nephew – The Guardian
“I have no control over that and had no involvement in that whatsoever.” – Karoline Leavitt’s nephew – The Guardian