The Department of Homeland Security confirmed on Sunday that a federal investigation into Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) included reports that he’d hired — and then lied about — a Brazilian nanny who was living in the United States illegally.
POLITICO’s Dan Lippman broke the story, reporting on Sunday that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had referred allegations to law enforcement at DHS — and the department issued a response from the official X account.
“USCIS has been collecting information on the allegations involving Congressman Eric Swalwell hiring of a Brazilian national as a nanny without lawful work authorization. @USCIS has referred this matter to DHS law enforcement for investigation. No one is above the law, including a member of Congress,” the post read.
USCIS has been collecting information on the allegations involving Congressman Eric Swalwell hiring of a Brazilian national as a nanny without lawful work authorization.@USCIS has referred this matter to DHS law enforcement for investigation.
No one is above the law, including… https://t.co/yFE4DeI3aC
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) April 12, 2026
The news comes as multiple other investigations are already in play — and as the California congressman and gubernatorial candidate is also facing several accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior, ranging from unwanted attention to at least one claim of rape from a former staffer.
The Manhattan district attorney opened an investigation into Swalwell on Saturday after learning that on of the women accusing him of sexual misconduct lived in New York. Weeks earlier, the Justice Department had opened an unrelated investigation into the gubernatorial hopeful, alleging mortgage fraud.
Since the accusations began to drop on Friday, Swalwell’s friends and colleagues have quickly deserted him. Democrats in Congress withdrew their support for his gubernatorial run, withdrawing their endorsements publicly and calling on him to drop out of the race. Some took that a step further and called on him to resign his congressional seat – and a few have said that, if given the opportunity, they would cast a vote to expel him from the legislative body.
His employees followed, with a group of senior staffers from both his congressional office and his gubernatorial campaign office issuing a joint memo and resigning en masse. They also called on voters to withdraw support from Swalwell.
Swalwell has denied the accusations, calling them “flat false” and voting to fight back with everything that he has.
