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Sandra Yi ReportingRepublican Congressional candidate John Jacob is in the hot seat. Jacob supports cracking down on illegal immigration, but now he's accused of hiring undocumented workers.
Critics are calling Jacob a hypocrite. But Jacob, who is running against incumbent Chris Cannon, insists he did nothing wrong.
The controversy centers around a Chilean couple, whom Jacob admits he helped several years ago, at the request of his church bishop.
He says, the man and his wife were here on student visas and the man is now close to getting his citizenship. Jacob says, he paid the man's wife for housework because she didn't want to take advantage of his kindness.
Jacob says, back then, he consulted an immigration attorney. According to Jacob, the attorney advised the couple couple to create a company so they could work.
Jacob says, to his knowledge, he did nothing illegal.
John Jacob: "I helped somebody. I cared about them, tried to do something positive. Then it comes out and looks like I might have done something wrong, and it's not true."
Latino advocate Tony Yapias says, he got involved after several people told him that Jacob had hired illegal workers. Yapias says it's hypocritical for Jacob to run on an immigration platform. Jacob's website says he will push for legislation to secure our borders.
Yapias says, even if the couple was here on student visas, there are legal questions about what Jacobs may have done.
Tony Yapias: "International students cannot work, period, especially someone getting paid cash as Jacob allegedly did."
An immigration attorney told KSL that international students must have a permit to do any work.
Jacob says he doesn't remember the name of the attorney he talked to years ago, but he plans to find out... He also plans to provide records that show, he did nothing wrong.
Chris Cannon issued a statement which in part says the story is further testimony to an immigration system that is unworkable.
The entire statement from campaign manager Nathan Rathbun says:
"We have no response to the specific questions being raised regarding Mr. Jacob's employment practices. However, this story is further testimony to an immigration system that is unworkable. From his wide ranging comments, it is difficult to ascertain Mr. Jacob's real position on immigration reform. Perhaps this controversy will help make it clear that immigration is a complex issue that cannot be addressed by way of sound bites and generalizations."
