Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered public universities and state agencies to halt new H-1B visa petitions, intensifying state oversight of how taxpayer-funded institutions employ foreign workers and placing new constraints on universities’ hiring practices through at least mid-2027.
Under a directive issued Tuesday, Texas public universities and state agencies may not initiate or file new H-1B visa petitions without written permission from the Texas Workforce Commission until the end of the Texas Legislature’s next regular session on May 31, 2027. Abbott also instructed agencies and institutions to submit detailed reports on their current and past use of H-1B visas, including the number of visa holders sponsored, job classifications, countries of origin, visa expiration dates, and documentation showing efforts to recruit qualified Texas applicants.
“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 announcing the directive.
Abbott previewed the move a day earlier during a radio interview, questioning the need for H-1B workers in public education. “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,” he said. He also suggested some visa holders may have overstayed their status, adding, “Those, again, are the type of people that the Trump administration is trying to remove.”
The freeze follows requests from the governor’s office for data on H-1B visa usage at Texas universities, including the Texas A&M University System. Emails obtained by Quorum Report show system leaders were asked to provide visa-related employment data earlier this month. The request came amid reporting that Texas A&M spent approximately $3.25 million on H-1B visa sponsorships and related costs over five years, compared with about $1.1 million spent by the University of Texas at Dallas during a similar period.
H-1B visas allow employers to hire foreign workers for specialized positions requiring at least a bachelor’s degree, with applications reviewed and approved by the federal government. Public universities and academic medical centers frequently rely on the program to recruit faculty, researchers, physicians, and other highly trained professionals. Federal data show that, as of Sept. 30, 2025, major education-related employers in Texas with significant numbers of H-1B workers include Dallas ISD, UT Southwestern Medical Center, and Texas A&M University.
Higher education advocates warn that limiting universities’ access to international talent could carry economic and academic consequences. “What has made U.S. higher education the best in the world is that we have been able to attract the best people for these positions,” said Miriam Feldblum, co-founder and CEO of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.
Abbott framed the directive as part of a broader review of what his administration describes as potential abuse of the federal visa program, citing President Donald Trump’s proclamation restricting certain nonimmigrant workers. His letter to agency heads argues the H-1B program “was created to supplement the United States’ workforce— not to replace it,” and contends that some employers have failed to make good-faith efforts to recruit U.S. workers.
Texas is not alone in pursuing such measures. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last year directed that state’s public university system to curb its use of H-1B visas, with officials there considering a pause on new hires through early 2027.
For Texas universities, the directive adds a new layer of state oversight to a hiring process traditionally governed by federal immigration law, raising questions about academic autonomy, workforce needs, and the state’s role in shaping who can work at its public institutions.
