Overview
- Jackson, pressed by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones during Monday’s debate, said he didn’t know if undocumented workers were doing landscaping at his home.
- Legal filings reported by the New York Post said his properties used a long‑running landscaping crew that included people without work authorization and cited a deposition where Jackson acknowledged no I‑9 checks for new hires.
- Opponents seized on the exchange, with Jones airing an ad that pairs the deposition claims with Jackson’s "I don't know" reply and critics labeling him dishonest.
- Jackson’s campaign said he would never knowingly hire someone in the country illegally, noted others handle hiring, pointed to E‑Verify use at Jackson Healthcare since 2012, and vowed to make Georgia No. 1 in deporting criminal noncitizens.
- Federal law requires every employer to complete Form I‑9 to confirm a new hire’s identity and eligibility to work, and the fight now looms over the May 19 GOP primary that also features Chris Carr and Brad Raffensperger.