Gov. Greg Abbott in a letter sent Tuesday said he’s launching a sweeping investigation into the federal H-1B visa program “in light of recent reports of abuse.”
Abbott directed all public state colleges and universities along with all state agencies headed by a gubernatorial appointee to freeze H-1B visa applications until May 2027.
That visa program, which allows U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign nationals when local labor markets can’t meet specific skill needs, has emerged as a right-wing target. GOP politicians have fallen in line behind President Donald Trump, who alleges the system is frequently abused and takes job opportunities from U.S. workers.
Abbott is demanding that agencies and institutions submit reports to the Texas Workforce Commission by March 27 that include how many H-1B visa holders they employ, the number of applications and renewals filed, the visa holders’ nationality, their roles, the expiration date of each person’s visa and proof the agency tried to fill the job with Texas talent first.
“State government must lead by example and ensure that employment opportunities — particularly those funded with taxpayer dollars — are filled by Texans first,” Abbott said in a statement.
Abbott’s move comes days after longtime state capitol journalist Scott Braddock of the Quorum Report first reported that internal emails showed the governor was demanding information on H-1B visa holders employed by the Texas A&M University System.
Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
