Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a major directive which requires state agencies and public universities to stop submitting new H-1B visa applications. The suspension will stay in effect until May 31 2027, which represents one of the strongest state-level measures against the federal visa program.

Allegations of H-1B visa misuse

The governor explained that he made his decision because he received reports which showed that people were misusing the H-1B visa program for unlawful activities. He argued that taxpayer-funded jobs should be offered to American citizens who live in Texas.

Abbott informed state agencies through a letter that officials would review the visa program to investigate whether employers used it to mistreat employees. He demonstrated that the state must show its dedication to equitable hiring practices through its actual practices.

Claims of job displacement

Abbott accused certain employers of bypassing qualified American workers in favor of lower-paid foreign labor. He alleged that in some cases companies had laid off US employees only to replace them with H-1B workers who earned significantly lower wages. The governor stated that those practices worked against local job opportunities and established labor regulations.

Texas among top H-1B destinations

Texas ranks second only to California in terms of the number of H-1B visa holders. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data shows that 2025 saw the approval of more than 40,000 H-1B visas which allowed workers to start jobs at over 6,100 workplaces throughout the state. Texas public universities presently have about 1,200 H-1B workers in their employment.

Wider immigration policy debate

The ongoing political battle over United States immigration policies and work visa regulations has resulted in more scrutiny of H-1B visa programs which need to be assessed for their ability to address skill shortages and their effects on wage rates.

Governor Abbott declared that Texas needs to run its economy in a way that protects local workers from being hired in any job that exists in government and public funding institutions.