'Illegal alien from Brazil': Karoline Leavitt's relative detained by ICE; Trump admin targets visa overstays

In an interesting turn of events, a relative of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was detained as the Trump administration intensifies immigration enforcement efforts, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to NBC News.

Leavitt, a close aide to US President Donald Trump, has previously referred to immigrants as “illegal criminal aliens” and accused the Democratic Party of “opening our borders” and allowing “millions of illegal aliens into our country” over the past four years.The woman detained is the mother of Leavitt’s nephew. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Bruna Caroline Ferreira in Revere, Massachusetts, earlier this month, the source said. A department of homeland security spokesperson described her as a “criminal illegal alien from Brazil” who overstayed a tourist visa that expired in June 1999. The spokesperson added that Ferreira has an arrest on suspicion of battery, though it is unclear how that case was resolved.Ferreira is being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center as officials move forward with removal proceedings. DHS noted that under President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, “all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.”

The source familiar with the situation said Leavitt’s nephew has lived full time with his father in New Hampshire since birth, has never lived with his mother, and has not spoken with her in many years. The source also said Ferreira has never lived with the child.Ferreira’s family offered a different view in a GoFundMe campaign, saying she was brought to the United States in 1998 as a child and has done “everything in her power to build a stable, honest life here.”

The campaign also says she “maintained her legal status” through protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.The Associated Press reported Tuesday that DACA recipients have been among those detained in recent immigration sweeps. Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement published in the AP story that DACA recipients can lose status “for a number of reasons, including if they've committed a crime.”