Texas Governor Freezes H-1B Visas for State Workers

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has slammed the door on new H-1B visa hires across state agencies and public universities, issuing a stark directive that prioritizes local talent over global recruits. The Republican leader’s order, effective immediately, halts all fresh petitions until May 31, 2027—the close of the next legislative session—aiming to shield taxpayer-funded roles from what he calls unfair competition. In a pointed letter to agency heads, Abbott declared that Texas must “lead by example,” ensuring jobs go to Texans first amid billions invested in homegrown education and training. This move sidesteps private firms but strikes at the heart of public institutions reliant on skilled immigrants for cutting-edge work.

The freeze won’t touch the booming private sector, where tech giants like Tesla and Oracle scooped up most of Texas’s recent H-1B approvals—about 95% of the total, per federal data. Yet, for state entities, it’s a seismic shift. Powerhouses like the University of Texas and Texas A&M, along with research hubs such as UT Southwestern Medical Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center, stand to lose hundreds of visa-dependent experts in labs and classrooms. These institutions, silent so far on the order, now face a scramble: by late March, they’ll report every H-1B worker’s details—from job types and origins to recruitment efforts for locals—seeking waivers only through state labor overseers.

Abbott’s crackdown echoes federal tremors under President Donald Trump, who just months ago slapped a $100,000 fee on applications and favored high-salary candidates, reshaping a program tech lobbies decry as vital for U.S. edge. Business voices warn of talent droughts hitting innovation, but Abbott doubles down, touting Texas’s “proficient” workforce as self-sufficient. In College Station, home to Texas A&M, H-1B density tops the nation at seven approvals per 100 workers, per Pew Research—now a flashpoint for the governor’s America-first stance.

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Universities nationwide, from Ivies to state flagships, lean heavily on H-1B for staffing: nearly 60% of postdocs in science, engineering, and health fields hold such visas, says the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. Abbott argues Texas’s massive education push negates the need for imports, vowing not to “cede this distinction.” Critics, including Rice University’s Mark Jones, see it as political theater—Abbott flexing against “visa abuse” since he can’t corral private players, aligning with GOP gripes that H-1Bs undercut wages and snag opportunities from citizens.

Echoes ripple beyond the Lone Star State. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis eyes a year-long ban on H-1B faculty at public colleges, branding it “cheap foreign labor” imports; the Board of Governors votes this week after public input. As Trump’s immigration vise tightens—beefing borders, slashing asylum, scrutinizing skilled visas—states like these forge their own barriers, testing the balance between protectionism and progress in America’s talent wars.

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