DHS Takes Another Look
USCIS says it referred allegations tied to Rep. Eric Swalwell to DHS law enforcement after reviewing claims that he hired a Brazilian national as a nanny without valid work authorization. Homeland Security also posted on X that no one is above the law, which is the kind of line every agency loves when it wants to sound tough without giving away the whole file. The public update does not spell out every detail, but it does confirm the matter was sent to investigators, which is more than a rumor and less than a verdict.
Homeland Security’s X post:
How The Case Surfaced
According to investigative filmmaker Joel Gilbert, the attention came after he filed complaints with DHS and the Federal Election Commission in February and then published his findings in March. His report says the complaint package focuses on two issues: whether Swalwell kept employing a nanny after her visa-based work authorization expired, and whether campaign money was used for ordinary childcare costs that should have stayed in the family budget. Washington calls this “process.” Everyone else calls it paperwork with a side of drama.
The Work Authorization Question
Gilbert’s complaint centers on Amanda Barbosa, whom he says worked as a live-in au pair in 2022 and was paid through campaign records for childcare tied to campaign events. He says her J-1 visa expired at the end of December 2022, after which, in his view, the Swalwells continued to use her services in 2023 and 2024 without public evidence of renewed authorization. His filing points to social media posts, a LinkedIn profile, and later payment records as support. If federal agencies are going to inspect everyone else’s compliance binder, they might as well open this one too.
The Money Trail
The second complaint asks the FEC to decide whether childcare payments from campaign funds crossed the line into personal use. Gilbert says Swalwell previously asked the commission for guidance, then ignored the narrow permission it gave for event-related childcare, and instead relied on recurring payments that looked more like household payroll than campaign expenses. He puts the total at more than $300,000 over five years, based on filings he reviewed. The larger issue is simple enough for even a swamp to understand: donor money is not supposed to become a family expense account with a patriotic label.
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