The Department of Homeland Security has opened an investigation into claims that embattled California Rep. Eric Swalwell may have illegally employed a Brazilian nanny several years ago using campaign funds officials confirmed.
Separately, Swalwell announced Sunday that he is suspending his California gubernatorial campaign after four women accused him of sexual misconduct, including an allegation of rape.
According to an exclusive report from the New York Post, Swalwell hired the nanny to care for his children, and she allegedly remained employed by the family even after her work authorization expired in 2022.
Swalwell reportedly hired Barbosa, 33, in 2021 to help care for his three children. A native of Rio de Janeiro, she entered the U.S. on an au pair visa and was paid $3,914 in campaign funds that year, according to a New York Post analysis of Federal Election Commission records.
FEC data shows Barbosa received $46,930 in campaign funds the following year.
The inquiry began after U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) referred the matter to DHS, Politico reported. “USCIS has been collecting information on the allegations involving Congressman Eric Swalwell hiring of a Brazilian national as a nanny without lawful work authorization,” DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis confirmed in a statement to the outlet. “These allegations are serious. USCIS has referred this matter to DHS law enforcement for investigation.
“Federal law prohibits employers from knowingly hiring aliens who are not authorized to work in the United States,” Bis continued. “No employer, including a member of Congress, is above the law.”
DHS received a complaint in February alleging that the nanny, Amanda Barbosa, “appears in numerous social media photos with the Swalwell family throughout 2023 and 2024, indicating continued close association and ongoing childcare responsibilities despite the absence of known lawful work authorization.”
After her au pair visa expired in 2022, Swalwell initiated steps to sponsor her for a green card, according to a permanent labor certification application reviewed by The Post.
While her application was pending, Barbosa enrolled in community college, according to her LinkedIn profile. Under the terms of a student visa, she would not have been permitted to work off campus.
However, posts from her now-deleted Facebook account appear to show her continuing to care for the children at various family events over the next two years, including photos with the children at the White House picnic in both 2023 and 2024.
In addition to rape allegations, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has also launched an investigation into claims that he sexually assaulted a former staffer in a New York City hotel room in April 2024.
“We urge survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division,” a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office said in a statement Saturday.
“Our specially trained prosecutors, investigators, and counselors are well-equipped to help you in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered manner.”