BASILE, La. — A Brazilian national who gave birth to the nephew of the White House press secretary has been detained by immigration officials and is being held at a federal detention facility in Louisiana, according to various media reports.

Bruna Caroline Ferreira's 11-year-old son is the nephew of press secretary Karoline Leavitt, ABC News and the New York Times reported Wednesday. Television station WMUR in New Hampshire spoke with Leavitt's brother Michael, who said the woman was detained a few weeks ago.

The Department of Homeland Security said Ferriera was a "criminal illegal alien" who overstayed a visa that expired in 1999. She was once arrested for battery.

Michael Leavitt told WMUR that the boy has lived with him since he was born but that the child has a relationship with his mother, to whom Leavitt was once engaged. DHS said Ferreira was at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Evangeline Parish and "is in removal proceedings." 

Ferreira's lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, said the woman has no criminal record and was in the process of obtaining a green card. He said she was stopped for no reason while traveling in Massachusetts. The New York Times said she was driving to pick up the child at school. 

ABC News said the White House declined to comment.