Abbott orders Texas agencies, public universities to freeze new H-1B visas
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Gov. Greg Abbott is directing Texas state agencies and public universities to stop filing new H-1B visa petitions and is launching an investigation into how the visas are being used.
Why it matters: H-1B is a federal program that allows employers to hire foreign professionals for specialized jobs. The freeze could disrupt hiring at state agencies and public universities, particularly in education, medicine and research.
Driving the news: In a letter sent to agency heads on Tuesday, Abbott ordered an immediate freeze on new H-1B petitions by most state agencies, as well as public institutions of higher education, unless they receive written approval from the Texas Workforce Commission.
- The freeze is set to last through May 31, 2027 (the end of the Texas Legislature's next regular session).
- Agencies must submit a report to TWC by March 27 detailing H-1B head counts, recent filings, job classifications, visa timelines and efforts to recruit Texas-based candidates.
- Agencies led by elected officials, such as the Texas attorney general's office, the Texas General Land Office and the Texas Department of Agriculture, are exempt from the order.
Between the lines: The directive follows comments Abbott made on a radio show this week about examining H-1B use in Texas public schools. Internal emails obtained by Quorum Report show his office also asked the Texas A&M University System to disclose data on employees working under H-1B visas.
By the numbers: Federal data shows there were more than 41,000 H-1B visa recipients in Texas during fiscal year 2025. Top sponsors include Dallas ISD (230), the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas (228), Texas A&M's flagship campus (214), UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston (171) and UT-Austin (169).
What they're saying: Abbott says the H-1B program has been abused, echoing a President Trump proclamation.
- "I don't see any reason why we need any H-1B visa employees in our public schools in the state of Texas. But we're going to find out if there's some unique skill set or whatever the case may be," Abbott told Mark Davis, a conservative radio talk show host.
Zoom out: As part of a broader immigration crackdown, the Trump administration has pursued major changes to the H-1B program, including requiring employers to pay a $100,000 fee per visa for new petitions. The U.S. Department of Labor also said it's conducting at least 175 H-1B investigations to enforce existing program rules.
- Florida's public universities are considering a one-year freeze on H-1B visa hiring, after Gov. Ron DeSantis directed a crackdown on "H-1B abuse."