A long-standing U.S. immigration visa program may have facilitated the flow of foreign money into American Democratic political campaigns, particularly during the 1990s, according to investigative journalist Peter Schweizer’s book “The Invisible Coup: How American Elites and Foreign Powers Use Immigration as a Weapon.”
The report focuses on the Employment-Based Fifth Preference (EB-5) visa, a program created by Congress in 1990 to encourage foreign investment and job creation in the United States. Under EB-5, foreign nationals who invest at least $1.05 million, or $800,000 in targeted employment areas, and create 10 or more American jobs can qualify for lawful permanent resident status.
According to the book, key figures involved in establishing and promoting the EB-5 program included Maria Hsia and John Huang, individuals who later became central to campaign finance controversies in the 1996 election cycle to help then-President Bill Clinton. A Senate investigation at that time identified Hsia as an agent of the Chinese government who concealed her affiliations while organizing political contributions, and Huang later pleaded guilty in 1999 to conspiracy charges related to campaign finance violations.
The book also references James Riady, whose family’s financial interests were implicated in campaign contribution violations tied to the same period. Following revelations, the Democratic Party returned more than $1 million in contributions deemed improper related to those incidents.
The report claims that, according to Schweizer’s research, the EB-5 visa program gave foreign investors — particularly from China — access to the U.S. political system by enabling permanent residents to make campaign contributions, which foreign nationals are otherwise prohibited from doing under federal campaign finance law. It cites the case of Danhong “Jean” Chen, a Chinese citizen and EB-5 visa facilitator whose business directed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democratic campaigns. Chen and her husband were later indicted on visa fraud and identity theft charges, and Chen was reported to have fled the country before her arrest.
The book further claims that many EB-5 investors were from China and that some firms promoted the program by advertising connections to political figures and access to high-level officials. Schweizer reportedly raises concerns about potential national security implications due to the volume of foreign investment involved.
During her 2008 presidential primary campaign, Hillary Clinton received numerous donations of thousands of dollars from the Chinatown neighborhood in New York City. Investigators found that many of the donors lived in deteriorating buildings with visible structural issues.
Follow-up inquiries revealed that some Chinese donors had received specific instructions from neighborhood associations to support Clinton’s candidacy.
Additionally, some of these community organizations had connections to the United Front Work Department, an entity used by Beijing to promote Communist ideology internationally.
Schweizer notes a significant discrepancy in Chinese government policy regarding EB-5 operations. While Beijing theoretically restricts citizens from transferring more than $50,000 outside China’s borders annually, EB-5 recruiting firms operate freely within the country despite visa requirements far exceeding this limit.
The program has also granted foreign nationals access to sensitive American infrastructure projects, compounding national security implications.
Schweizer’s research indicates the EB-5 visa system, allegedly designed by individuals with Chinese Communist Party ties, has provided Beijing with numerous channels for introducing untraceable political contributions into American elections over multiple decades.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, meanwhile, voted Wednesday to advance two resolutions holding former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with subpoenas related to the ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal network and his ties to public officials.
The votes mark a major escalation in the House’s long-running probe into Epstein’s political connections and represent the first time Congress has moved toward contempt citations for a former president and former cabinet official simultaneously.
The Oversight Committee’s Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee had issued subpoenas on July 23, 2025, requiring both Clintons to testify about their past associations with Epstein.
Lawmakers say the depositions were necessary to determine whether any federal agencies failed to pursue leads related to Epstein’s activities or his network of associates.
