Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who is a frontrunner in the California governor’s race, has been accused of keeping his illegal live-in Brazilian nanny in the country by violating immigration and employment law, according to a pair of recently filed complaints, the New York Post reported. The maid has been identified as Amanda Barbosa working for them.
A complaint filed Tuesday with the Department of Labor claimed that Swalwell and his wife, Brittany, lied to the feds to keep Barbosa working for them when the South American babysitter’s temporary work authorization was about to expire in 2022. Another complaint, which was filed to the Department of Homeland security in February, alleged that Swalwell paid Barbosa under the table with campaign funds for a period of two years when she did not hold valid work authorization.
“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 complaint to DHS, dated February 16, alleged.
Who is Amanda Barbosa?
Swalwell first hired Barbosa, 33, in the fall of 2021. She was hired to look after the embattled California gubernatorial hopeful’s three children.
In January 2021, Barbosa came to the United States from Rio de Janeiro on an au pair visa. The same year, she was paid $3,914 in campaign funds,
according to an analysis of Federal Election Commission data by the New York Post.
Barbosa continued to work for Swalwell as a live-in nanny the next year, receiving $46,930 in campaign funds in 2022, according to FEC records.
Swalwell began the process of sponsoring Barbosa a green card when her au pair visa was about to come to an end in December 2022, according to a permanent labor certification application reviewed by the outlet.
Barbosa enrolled at community college as the drawn out process played out, her LinkedIn shows. She was not allowed to work off campus, under student visa rules.
Barbosa was seen caring for Swalwell’s children at various family events over the next few years. Photos on social media even showed her at the annual White House picnic in 2023 and 2024. She was also seen in a photo taking the kids trick or treating while wearing a Brazil soccer shirt on Halloween 2024.
Her LinkedIn page was deleted after the allegations surfaced. It said she worked as a private childcare provider continuously from 2021 to present, per a screenshot included in the complaints.
The direct campaign payments to Barbosa had stopped on paper. However, $52,262 in campaign expenses for “childcare” were written off to Swalwell himself, according to FEC records. According to the complaint, this was simply a fraudulent workaround to try and keep her off the books while she was not authorized to work in the US.
“It’s a brazen disregard for the law. He’s harboring and employing an illegal,” said California filmmaker and activist Joel Gilbert, who filed the complaint.
The Department of Labor confirmed to the New York Post that the Department of Labor. Barbosa was again receiving $38,905 in campaign funds from Swalwell by next year, FEC data showed.
Swalwell is a defender of illegal immigrants. He has argued in the past for “reforms that would provide a way to bring undocumented workers out of the shadows” as part of his immigration position.
Swalwell is already being investigated by the FEC for spending more than $200,000 in campaign funds on personal babysitting. He was also accused of sexual assault and misconduct by four women. Swalwell has denied the sexual assault allegations.
Who is Amanda Barbosa? What we know about illegal Brazilian nanny Eric Swalwell paid with campaign funds
