Mother of Karoline Leavitt's Nephew Detained by ICE Agents Near Boston and Awaiting Removal from U.S.

The mother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's 11-year-old nephew is in ICE custody after being detained earlier this month.

Bruna Caroline Ferreira was arrested on Nov. 12 in Revere, Mass., a city roughly seven miles north of Boston, according to reporting by CNN and CNN affiliate WMUR.

Ferreira is the mother of Karoline's nephew, whom she shares with the press secretary's brother Michael Leavitt. According to reporting by CNN, she was driving to pick up her son from Michael's house in New Hampshire when she was detained.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed that Ferreira, who was born in Brazil, had been arrested. They reported that her tourist visa expired in 1999.

"She entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa that required her to depart the U.S. by June 6, 1999," the spokesperson wrote.

Additionally, they alleged that Ferreira "has a previous arrest for battery." However, details about the arrest were unclear. WBUR, a public broadcaster and news outlet affiliated with Boston University, noted that they were unable to find any criminal charges filed against her in Massachusetts' online database.

Todd Pomerleau, who is representing Ferreira, disputed the claim, telling WMUR, "Bruna has no criminal record whatsoever."

"Show us the proof. There's no charges out there. She's not a criminal, illegal alien, we're hearing that said about anyone who's not a U.S. citizen," he continued.

A source familiar with the situation told PEOPLE that Ferreira's son lived full-time in New Hampshire with Michael and had never lived with Ferreira. They added that Ferreira and Karoline "have not spoken in many years."

The Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told PEOPLE that Ferreira "is currently at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center and is in removal proceedings."

They added, "Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation."

Pomerleau told CNN that his client was formerly protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, which covers immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. He said that she had been going through a "lawful immigration process" to attain citizenship.

He added that Ferreira wasn't able to renew her DACA status after Trump unsuccessfully attempted to eliminate the program during his first term.

Ferreira's sister Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues opened a GoFundMe to support the family in their fight to keep Ferreira from being deported.

"Bruna was brought to the United States by our parents in December of 1998, when she was just a child, entering on a visa. Since then, she has done everything in her power to build a stable, honest life here. She has maintained her legal status through DACA, followed every requirement, and has always strived to do the right thing," she wrote in a description on the fundraiser.

Continuing, she wrote, "Anyone who knows Bruna knows the kind of person she is. She is hardworking, kind, and always the first to offer help when someone needs it. Whether it’s supporting family, friends, or even strangers, Bruna has a heart that puts others before herself."

She noted that her sister's "absence has been especially painful for her 11-year-old son," writing that he "needs his mother and hopes every single day that she’ll be home in time for the holidays."

Michael spoke to WMUR, confirming the situation and noting that his son had not been in contact with Ferreira since she was detained.

The outlet reported that he described the situation as "difficult," adding that "his biggest concern is his son's safety and well-being."

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Ferreira's arrest comes in the midst of an immigration crackdown that was initiated at the start of Trump's second term in office.

During a Nov. 2 interview with 60 Minutes, the Republican lawmaker said that ICE raids "haven't gone far enough" yet, claiming that his administration was being "held back by the... by the judges, by the liberal judges that were put in by Biden and by Obama."

PEOPLE reached out to Todd Pomerleau's for additional comment.