Rick Jackson’s healthcare staffing company settled a lawsuit for $3 million on June 22, 2026, involving more than 5,000 current and former immigrant nurses, even as the Georgia gubernatorial candidate campaigns on strict immigration enforcement. The settlement, approved by a judge in July, provides eligible workers a share of the payout and waives unpaid fees.
Avant Healthcare Professionals, part of Jackson’s healthcare empire, faced allegations that it exploited foreign-born nurses through rigid employment contracts. According to the lawsuit filed in 2023, the company lured nurses from countries including Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the United States with promises of better lives, only to pay them substandard wages and trap them in multi-year contracts with little flexibility.
The lawsuit alleged that when nurses tried to quit, Avant threatened to contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement and charged them substantial fees—in one case, $41,832 from a nurse named Lucinda Byron. Lawyers for the nurses argued these “stay-or-pay” contracts violated the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Most workers eligible for monetary relief will receive approximately $500 or less, according to the settlement agreement.
Avant denied wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement to avoid the cost and distraction of continued litigation, according to a statement from Jackson Healthcare parent company spokeswoman Jessica Lacy. The company emphasized that the court did not find its business practices unlawful and the settlement dismissed the claims against Avant with prejudice.
Immigration Campaign vs. Business Model
The settlement surfaces a stark contrast between Jackson’s campaign messaging and his company’s reliance on foreign labor. Jackson has blanketed Georgia’s airwaves with ads vowing to crack down on undocumented immigrants if elected governor. In one campaign ad that aired nearly 9,000 times on Georgia television, Jackson states: “I don’t care if you’re a Muslim or a Mongolian. You don’t have the right to force your culture on our country.”
Jackson’s campaign spokesman Garrison Douglas told CNN that the candidate’s focus is on “criminal illegal immigration and following the law,” and that Avant nurses “come to America legally, waiting several years, learn English, pay taxes and save lives.” However, Jackson’s campaign did not respond to questions about whether he supports additional visas for foreign workers or how his company’s business model aligns with his immigration hardline stance.
The contrast extends to Avant’s own messaging. While Jackson campaigns against immigrant influence on American culture, Avant tells its foreign workers in a corporate guide: “You don’t have to choose between the culture you came from and the one you’re adapting to. Finding harmony between the two creates a well-rounded, multicultural identity that enhances both your personal and professional life.”
Avant is not alone in facing such allegations. In 2024, Bloomberg Law identified at least 10 class action lawsuits filed by nurses challenging “stay-or-pay” agreements. New York Attorney General Letitia James secured a $660,000 payout from Advanced Care Staffing in 2025 for forcing foreign nurses into contracts her office called “exploitative.” States including California and New York have banned such contracts, arguing they exploit vulnerable workers.
Jackson Healthcare acquired Avant in 2018 and has faced prior legal scrutiny. The U.S. Department of Justice alleged in 2013 that Avant discriminated against American workers through job postings favoring foreign workers, a potential violation of immigration law. Avant settled that case, paying a $27,750 fine and agreeing to change its hiring practices.
Avant has also clashed with the Trump administration on immigration policy. In 2020, the company sued the Trump administration over visa delays for workers from the Philippines, a case later withdrawn after the visas were approved. Earlier this year, Avant’s leadership expressed concerns about new Trump visa policies, with the company’s senior vice president of global operations describing the difficulties of bringing nurses into the United States under current rules.
Sources
- CNN — Rick Jackson’s immigration campaign and Avant Healthcare settlement details, June 22 settlement date, 5,000+ workers, $3 million payout, allegations of stay-or-pay contracts and ICE threats, campaign advertising figures, Jackson’s statements and campaign focus
- Ground News — Settlement approval in July, 5,219 workers identified for class action, most payments approximately $500 or less, stay-or-pay contract allegations, court approval date
- Bloomberg Law — At least 10 class action lawsuits against healthcare staffing companies for stay-or-pay contracts as of 2024, Advanced Care Staffing comparison
- New York Attorney General Office — $660,000 settlement with Advanced Care Staffing in 2025 for exploitative stay-or-pay contracts
- U.S. Department of Justice — 2013 settlement with Avant for discrimination against American workers, $27,750 fine
- ACLU — Context on how stay-or-pay contracts are used to abuse immigrant workers
