Karoline Leavitt took a quiet pause from her high-pressure role at the White House to share a heartfelt Thanksgiving moment with her followers.
The press secretary posted a series of cozy photos and short clips on Instagram, giving a peek into how her family was spending the holiday.
She showed off her pumpkin-decorated mug, a busy kitchen, and the cherished stuffing recipe she learned from her mom.
“I’ll be here all day – my happy place,” she wrote with a cheerful chef emoji, clearly embracing the calm and comfort of the day.
The Holiday Shadowed by a Family Crisis
But behind the warm Thanksgiving snapshots sits a complicated family situation.
Just days before the holiday, news broke that Leavitt’s nephew’s mother, Bruna Ferreira, had been detained by ICE and transferred to a detention center in southern Louisiana.
Ferreira had been stopped by immigration officers earlier this month in Revere, Massachusetts, while picking up her 11-year-old son, Michael Leavitt Jr., whose father—Michael Sr.—is Karoline’s brother.
Ferreira has lived in the United States since 1998 under the DACA program and was reportedly moving through the process of securing permanent residency.
Michael’s Father Describes the Impact
Michael Sr, who has full-time custody of his son, said the 11-year-old hasn’t spoken to his biological mother since ICE detained her “several weeks ago.”
While the boy lives with him and his wife, Michael Sr emphasized that mother and son have always maintained a relationship.
He told WBUR his priority remains his son’s “safety, well-being, and privacy” as the situation unfolds.
Ferreira’s Sister Shares Her Side
Ferreira’s sister, Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues, offered more insight into the chaotic arrest.
She said Ferreira had driven from Massachusetts to New Hampshire to pick up her son when ICE agents surrounded her car.
“They were not the most gentle with her,” Rodrigues said, describing her sister as terrified and overwhelmed.
She added that Ferreira—who arrived in the U.S. at age six—feels more American than anything else.
According to Rodrigues, she tried desperately to explain her connection to the Leavitt family, but “it didn’t really help very much.”
She has since launched a GoFundMe to support her sister’s legal and personal needs.
Questions About Family Support
Rodrigues also expressed frustration that neither Michael Sr nor his father, Bob Leavitt, offered useful guidance after Ferreira’s arrest.
She claims they repeatedly advised, “Tell her to self-deport,” a suggestion she strongly rejected.
“Self-deport to where? Brazil is not her home,” she said.
She added that Karoline Leavitt has not contacted the family or offered any assistance, despite having her phone number.
A source familiar with the situation told the Daily Mail that there has been no communication between Karoline and Ferreira for years, stressing that Michael Jr has always lived full-time in New Hampshire with his father and has never lived with his mother.
DHS Labels Ferreira a “Criminal Illegal Alien”
The Department of Homeland Security provided a starkly different account.
A spokesperson told the Daily Mail that Ferreira is considered a “criminal illegal alien,” citing a prior arrest for battery.
They also noted she entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa that required departure by June 1999.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation,” t
he spokesman said.
Her Attorney Pushes Back Hard
Ferreira’s attorney, Todd Pomerleau, disputes nearly every claim from DHS.
He insists that Ferreira has no criminal record and called her arrest abrupt and unfair.
“Bruna has no criminal record whatsoever.
I don’t know where that is coming from,” he said. “Show us the proof.”
Pomerleau emphasized she was in the middle of obtaining legal residency and was suddenly taken away from her young son just before Thanksgiving.
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