The Trump administration has referred allegations that Rep. Eric Swalwell improperly employed a Brazilian nanny without valid work authorization to law enforcement officials within the Department of Homeland Security for investigation, according to a DHS spokesperson, Politico reported Sunday.
The referral by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services marks an escalation in scrutiny of the California Democrat, who is already facing a separate Justice Department referral over alleged mortgage fraud, claims Swalwell has dismissed as baseless, as well as unrelated sexual misconduct allegations that he has denied.
Over the weekend, the Manhattan district attorney's office opened an investigation connected to one of the sexual assault claims reported to have occurred in New York.
According to a report by the New York Post, Swalwell employed a nanny for his children who allegedly continued working for the family after her employment authorization expired in 2022. She later received authorization from the Labor Department in 2024.
"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 said in a statement. "These allegations are serious. USCIS has referred this matter to DHS law enforcement for investigation."
Bis did not specify which DHS enforcement arm would handle the probe but emphasized that federal law bars employers from knowingly hiring unauthorized workers.
Swalwell and his attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A complaint filed with DHS in February alleges the nanny appeared in multiple social media posts with the Swalwell family throughout 2023 and 2024, suggesting continued employment despite questions about her legal work status, Politico reported.
Federal Election Commission records cited in the report indicate Swalwell paid the individual tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds between 2021 and 2022. After obtaining work authorization, she reportedly received nearly $40,000 from his campaign account the following year.
In 2022, Swalwell received an advisory opinion from the Federal Election Commission permitting the use of campaign funds for child care expenses, provided those costs were incurred as a direct result of campaign-related activities.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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