The latest reports say Representative Eric Swalwell faces multiple new headaches: allegations of hiring a live‑in nanny without proper work authorization, questions about campaign spending, and a separate sexual assault inquiry that has drawn attention from the Manhattan district attorney. Federal immigration authorities have referred at least one complaint to DHS for investigation, while social media posts and other material are being cited as evidence of continued employment and close association. The complaints raise legal and political risks for the congressman as his campaign continues to draw scrutiny and defections. This article lays out the core allegations, the official statements, and the political fallout surrounding the situation.
What began as a flurry of damaging allegations tied to misconduct has shifted into an array of separate legal headaches for the California congressman. Reports say two complaints were filed, one newly submitted and one that dates back to February, the latter alleging the use of campaign funds to pay the nanny. Those claims add a financial and ethics dimension to the already serious employment and immigration issues being raised.
Federal immigration authorities confirmed they are involved and have taken action to move the matter up the chain. The official statement from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services was emphatic about the seriousness of the allegations and about the legal obligations employers face. The public line from the agency underlines that alleged violations of work authorization rules are not treated lightly.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed to Fox News that it has referred the matter to the Department of Homeland Security law enforcement for investigation.
“USCIS has been collecting information on the allegations involving Congressman Eric Swalwell hiring of a Brazilian national as a nanny without lawful work authorization. These allegations are serious… Federal law prohibits employers from knowingly hiring aliens who are not authorized to work in the United States. No employer, including a member of Congress, is above the law. DHS will continue to aggressively enforce statutes to uphold the rule of law and protect American workers,” a USCIS spokesperson said in a statement.
The alleged nanny, identified in filings as Barbosa, reportedly entered the United States on an au pair visa and was later shown in numerous social media photos with the Swalwell family. Those photos are cited in the complaint as evidence of continued childcare responsibilities even as questions about lawful work status remained unresolved. The complaint language points to a pattern of ongoing association spanning 2023 and 2024, suggesting the relationship was not temporary.
“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,” the DHS complaint states.
Barbosa was first hired by Swalwell — who is running for California governor — in 2021 after coming to the U.S. from Brazil on an au pair visa, according to The Post.
Beyond immigration and employment questions, the congressman is also confronting a separate criminal inquiry. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has announced it is looking into an allegation of sexual assault, adding an additional legal front. That investigation is distinct from the federal immigration referral but compounds the pressure around both his campaign and his standing among colleagues.
Political fallout has been immediate, with some Democrats stepping back or withdrawing support, say sources close to him and his campaign. Swalwell’s attorney offered a public explanation that puts some of the maneuvering down to internal party strategy rather than a wholesale collapse of confidence. The attorney suggested the party may be trying to consolidate votes to secure a viable candidate for later stages of the race.
“The notion that all these people pulled their support — I suspect that there are political machinations behind the scenes explaining why the Democratic Party has decided to try to consolidate the vote in order to make sure that a Democratic candidate makes it past the primary. So I’m not surprised to see that.”
The combination of civil, administrative, and criminal scrutiny creates a complex set of challenges. If investigators find evidence that campaign funds were used improperly or that employment laws were intentionally violated, the legal consequences could reach beyond administrative penalties. At the same time, the political implications are immediate: fundraising, endorsements, and primary dynamics can shift quickly when multiple inquiries converge.
The picture remains fluid as investigators and prosecutors review complaints and gather documents, social posts, and other materials cited in filings. With bipartisan attention on ethics and legal compliance for public officials, cases like this attract extra scrutiny and public interest. For now, the investigations proceed and political actors respond, leaving the congressman’s campaign and reputation under significant strain.
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