Did Michael Leavitt call ice
Executive summary
Available reporting shows Michael Leavitt is the father of an 11‑year‑old whose mother, Bruna Ferreira, was arrested by ICE on Nov. 12 and is being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center; Michael told outlets his “only concern has always been the safety, wellbeing, and privacy of my son” [1] [2]. Multiple outlets report the family tie to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and quote Michael’s public remarks; available sources do not mention Michael Leavitt himself calling ICE to arrest Ferreira [3] [2].
1. What the reporting documents: family ties and Michael Leavitt’s public statement
News organizations from WBUR and WMUR to The New York Times and The Guardian report that Bruna Ferreira — identified as the mother of Michael Leavitt’s son — was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and transferred to a Louisiana processing center; Michael Leavitt told WBUR and local TV that his primary concern is his son’s safety, wellbeing and privacy [2] [1] [4] [5]. Those outlets also note the wider context: the detained woman’s link to Karoline Leavitt, who is the White House press secretary and Michael Leavitt’s sister, which turned a routine enforcement action into a political story [6] [1].
2. On the central question — did Michael Leavitt call ICE? — the record is silent
None of the cited reports allege or present evidence that Michael Leavitt phoned ICE to initiate the arrest. Major outlets covering the case — CNN, The Guardian, The New York Times, WBUR and local stations — describe the arrest, its timing (Nov. 12), where Ferreira is being held, and statements from family and counsel, but do not report that Michael Leavitt contacted authorities to request enforcement action [3] [6] [4] [2]. Therefore, available sources do not mention Michael Leavitt calling ICE.
3. Conflicting narratives within the family’s public accounts
Reporting shows competing portrayals: Michael and some family members stress the child’s welfare and distance between the parents, while Ferreira’s sister and attorney frame the detention as abrupt and unjust and accuse parts of the Leavitt family of urging Ferreira to “self‑deport” — a claim Michael’s camp disputes or does not confirm in the record [3] [7] [8]. The Guardian and CNN cite family members who say Michael encouraged Ferreira to leave voluntarily; Ferreira’s sister rejects that as an option and says the U.S. is her sister’s home [3] [6].
4. ICE’s explanation and charges reported by outlets
Department of Homeland Security and ICE statements reported by several outlets say Ferreira was arrested after authorities determined a long‑expired visa (reported as expiring around 1999) and noted an arrest on suspicion of battery; she is now in removal proceedings at a South Louisiana facility [9] [10] [4]. These are ICE and DHS accounts as relayed by media; reporting varies in how it frames the legal basis and timeline [10] [9].
5. What the coverage leaves unanswered and why it matters
No source establishes who initiated the ICE action; the chain of events before the Nov. 12 detention — who notified authorities, what prompted agents to act at that time, and whether local law enforcement played any role — is not documented in the cited reporting [3] [1]. That gap matters because allegations that a family member requested enforcement would change public and political interpretation; without sourcing, such a claim remains unsubstantiated. Available sources do not mention who, if anyone in the Leavitt family, contacted ICE prior to the arrest [2] [3].
6. Competing motives and how outlets frame the story
Some coverage emphasizes the political sting — ICE’s action entangled with a White House official [6] [8] — while local outlets focus on the human story of an 11‑year‑old separated from his mother and the family dispute over what should happen next [1] [7]. The Daily Beast and tabloids amplify outrage and sensational language; mainstream outlets like The New York Times and CNN remain focused on facts reported by DHS, family statements and the legal process [8] [4] [3].
7. Bottom line for readers seeking the truth
Reports consistently confirm Ferreira’s ICE detention, Michael Leavitt’s relationship as the child’s father and his public statement prioritizing the child’s welfare, and the family tie to Karoline Leavitt [1] [2] [4]. However, the specific allegation that Michael Leavitt called ICE is not documented in the available reporting; responsible journalism requires not asserting that claim without evidence. If you want confirmation, watch for follow‑ups quoting ICE/DHS investigative records or an explicit statement from Michael Leavitt or ICE asserting he contacted authorities — those would be the sources to settle this question [3] [4].