‘Not a Good Catholic’: Bruna Ferreira Rips Karoline Leavitt for Abandoning Her in First Interview After Being Captured by ICE Goons

Bruna Caroline Ferreira—the mother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s nephew—delivered a pointed and emotional message to Leavitt, questioning her compassion as a fellow mother and Catholic in her first public appearance since being released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.

The 33-year-old Brazilian immigrant, formerly engaged to Leavitt’s brother Michael, appeared on CNN Friday evening alongside her attorney, recounting a harrowing arrest and detention that has thrust the Leavitt family into the national spotlight amid the Trump administration’s unprecedented mass-deportation campaign.

Ferreira’s direct appeal showed the personal rift: “I think what I would have to say to Karoline is: just because you went to a Catholic school, doesn’t make you a good Catholic.” Leavitt, who attended Catholic institutions and serves as godmother to Ferreira’s 11-year-old son, has maintained public silence on the matter.

“You’re a mother. You are a mother now, and you should know,” Ferreira continued, her voice steady but laced with pain. “How would you feel if you were in my shoes, you know? How would you feel if somebody did this to you?”

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Ferreira provided a detailed, chilling account of her November detention, which began as she rushed to pick up her son from school in Massachusetts. Still in untied shoes from her haste, she was surrounded by unmarked vehicles and arrested by ICE agents without a warrant. She was then shuttled across states—Massachusetts to New Hampshire, Vermont, Philadelphia, and finally Texas—without explanation of her destination.

Upon seeing a sign for Mexico in Texas, Ferreira pleaded with an agent: “Can you please, please, please have a little bit of empathy for me and tell me if you’re taking me across the border?” The response, she recalled with a trembling voice: “No, we are taking you to your final destination, your final stop before your deportation, which is South Louisiana. Hardly anybody ever gets out of there.”

Ferreira spent three weeks at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center, a facility criticized in reports for sexual harassment, abuse, and neglect of medical care. A judge granted her bail on Monday, allowing release pending further proceedings.

Attorney Todd Pomerleau, joining Ferreira on CNN, condemned the treatment: “This is a woman who owns two businesses, is a single mother, paying her taxes, and winds up in a for-profit prison in Louisiana. It’s unconscionable what they are doing on a daily basis.” He described an agent’s offhand remark in Vermont—mistakenly believing Ferreira didn’t speak English—as “Oh, we got more business coming in.”

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Immigration Status and DHS Characterization

Ferreira entered the U.S. legally at age 6 on a B-2 tourist visa with her parents but remained after its 1999 expiration. Protected under DACA and pursuing a green card through family ties, she has lived openly as a resident, business owner and co-parent.

The Department of Homeland Security labeled her a “criminal illegal alien,” citing the overstay and prior minor offenses. Pomerleau called this “false character assassination,” emphasizing her contributions and lack of serious criminal history.

A New York Times report, citing an anonymous source, noted Leavitt and Ferreira had not spoken in years despite the familial connection—Michael Leavitt shares custody, with the boy primarily residing in New Hampshire.

Ferreira expressed bewilderment at a Washington Post report suggesting White House sources portrayed her as an absentee parent who never lived with her son.

“Why? Why lie? Why lie?” she asked. “Because I have so many friends and family that called me and said why would anyone lie about this when it’s 2025? We have a digital footprint of everything. It doesn’t make sense. I’m just as confused as you are, and I’m hoping this interview gets me some answers.”

The boy’s paternity and shared upbringing have been publicly documented, including past interviews where Ferreira discussed family life post-Michael’s lottery win.

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Ferreira’s case exemplifies the human toll of the administration’s immigration crackdown. Data from the Prison Policy Initiative shows ICE arrests surged from ~300 daily in early 2024 to over 1,000 by October 2025, totaling approximately 217,518 from January 20 to October 15 this year.

Critics argue the scale—billed as the largest mass deportation in U.S. history—has swept up long-term residents with deep community ties, including DACA recipients and those with U.S.-citizen children. Ferreira’s high-profile connection to the press secretary has amplified scrutiny, raising questions about whether personal ties influence enforcement or public response.

For Leavitt, a fierce defender of Trump’s policies from the briefing room podium, the episode presents a delicate personal challenge. Her silence contrasts with Ferreira’s raw appeal for empathy, highlighting the intersection of policy and family in an administration defined by unyielding immigration rhetoric.