Brazilian woman fights to avoid being deported and separated from her 11-year-old son, nephew of Trump’s secretary, says lawyer

Brazilian woman who is the mother of Trump’s press secretary’s nephew is detained by ICE Brazilian Bruna Caroline Ferreira, 33, who has lived in the United States for 27 years, is fighting to not be deported and separated from her 11-year-old son, her defense lawyer, Todd C. Pomerleau, told g1. Bruna was arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on November 12. The case had repercussions at the end of the month after the US press discovered that the father of her son is the brother of the current press secretary of the Donald Trump administration, Karoline Leavitt. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp Bruna and the child’s father, Michael Levitt, are not together, and shared custody of Michael Leavitt Junior, who has American citizenship. After the arrest, the son is with his father and has no contact with his mother, says the lawyer. Pomerleau explained that Bruna is detained in Louisiana, in the south of the USA, more than 2,000 km from her home in New Hampshire, in the north of the country. She is awaiting a trial that could lead to deportation. According to him, the Brazilian is also out of contact with her mother, who lives in the country, and with whom she has been communicating via telephone. Other side: In an interview with WBUR radio, Michael Leavitt said his only concern is the boy’s safety and well-being. Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt and the White House did not comment on the case. The lawyer told g1 that Bruna has legal status in the United States through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — or “DACA”, for its acronym in English. Despite this, ICE comments that she had an expired tourist visa since 1999. According to the lawyer, the fact that she has a minor child who was born in the USA should help in the process. “She has been in the US for 27 years, has a family with a green card (the mother) and a citizen son, which increases the impact if there is separation (caused by imminent deportation),” says Pormeleau. “Bruna has different paths to a green card and her current path is the most direct, although it took a long time to get here,” he continues. Bruna with her son, Michael Leavitt Junior Personal Archive The lawyer considered Bruna’s arrest as “unnecessary and unjustifiable”. However, an ICE spokesperson said in a statement that she has a criminal record, including an arrest for assault — information disputed by Pomerleau. The lawyer also highlighted that different agencies process immigration forms, and that Bruna’s case was close to an end – but her detention should interrupt the process. In her case, the process that could go faster is deportation, “since the government pays for it,” said Pomerleau. According to him, the American government chooses to leave detainees for as little time as possible in immigrant prisons, so that less is spent on them. “She could obtain a green card in four to six months and then apply for citizenship, in addition to being able to renew her DACA, although this would not result in a green card,” he says. He also highlighted that she had “approximately 75% of the process completed, with all the paperwork sent, awaiting questions and approval”, which may not happen now. The trial for Bruna’s deportation does not yet have a date. Karoline Leavitt was named White House press secretary in January and serves as a spokeswoman for President Donald Trump. Traditionally, the holder of the position gives daily interviews to reporters who cover the government, comments on specific topics and details the presidential agenda. US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stands next to him as he leaves for a trip to Pennsylvania from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

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