Hold onto your hats, folks -- an immigration case tied to the family of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt just took a sharp turn toward leniency.

In a nutshell, Bruna Caroline Ferreira, the mother of Leavitt’s nephew, was ordered released from immigration detention on a modest $1,500 bond by a judge on Monday, despite serious allegations from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as ABC News reports.

A few weeks back, Ferreira, a Brazilian national, was arrested in Massachusetts while in her car, reportedly without a warrant, according to her attorney.

Ferreira’s Detention Sparks Controversy Over Status

DHS confirmed her detention two weeks ago, painting her as a problematic figure with a past arrest for battery and an expired tourist visa from way back in 1999.

The agency didn’t mince words, claiming she was required to leave the U.S. by June of that year and has been unlawfully present ever since.

Now, Ferreira sits at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center, caught in removal proceedings while her legal team fights to keep her stateside.

Attorney Disputes DHS Claims on Record

Her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, isn’t buying the DHS narrative, arguing that she is neither a flight risk nor the criminal officials have made her out to be.

“Bruna has no criminal record whatsoever, I don’t know where that is coming from. Show us the proof,” Pomerleau told WCVB, pushing back hard against the battery arrest claim.

Adding another layer, he insists Ferreira entered the country lawfully, held DACA status previously, and is actively pursuing a green card.

Bond Decision Raises Eyebrows on Policy

On Monday, an immigration judge sided with Pomerleau’s arguments, ordering Ferreira’s release on a minimum bond of $1,500, with her exit from detention expected by Tuesday at the latest.

Yet, this decision sits uneasily with DHS policy, which states that anyone unlawfully present in the U.S. remains subject to deportation under current guidelines.

One has to wonder if this low bond signals a softening on enforcement or just a one-off exception in a system often criticized for inconsistency.

Family Ties and Legal Distance Frustrations

Complicating matters, Pomerleau now faces the headache of litigating Ferreira’s case in Louisiana, a far cry from her home base in Massachusetts.

“[My client] was arrested in her car in Massachusetts after being stopped with no warrant,” Pomerleau told WCVB, highlighting the added burden of fighting this battle thousands of miles away.

While Ferreira’s connection to Karoline Leavitt, via her brother Michael who confirmed the arrest, raises eyebrows, Pomerleau dismisses any notion of influence, calling it mere coincidence and focusing on the facts at hand.