WASHINGTON, D.C. — Texas Governor Greg Abbott said his administration is reviewing the use of H-1B visas across the state’s public schools, universities, and other taxpayer-funded institutions, raising questions about whether foreign workers are being hired for positions that could be filled by Texans.
Speaking Monday on The Mark Davis Show, Abbott said his office has begun collecting information from public agencies to determine “the extent to which Texas taxpayer dollars are being used to pay for any of these people,” referring to H-1B visa holders employed in state-supported institutions.
The review covers public schools, colleges, and universities, as well as other entities that receive state funding. Abbott said his administration has sent inquiries statewide to gather data on how many H-1B workers are employed, the roles they hold, and the reasons cited for hiring them.
“We have inquiries out right now to all of those agencies gathering the information that we need, and are hoping to be able to make an announcement later on this week about an action plan that Texas is beginning to take,” Abbott said.
He emphasized that the H-1B visa program is administered at the federal level, not by states, but said Texas is assessing what authority it may have when state funds are involved. “This is a federal program, only a federal program. It’s not a state program,” Abbott said, adding that his administration is examining “what authority would we have to do anything about this.”
Abbott said the focus of the review is whether H-1B workers are being used in positions that do not require unique or specialized skills. “For example, what job is it in our public schools in the State of Texas that these H-1B visa personnel are fulfilling that we can’t fulfill here in our own public schools?” he said. “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.”
The governor also voiced concerns about what he described as potential abuse of the visa program, echoing claims made by some conservatives. He cited reports of multiple visa holders registered at a single address and said there has been “extraordinary controversy” surrounding how some H-1B workers were admitted.
Abbott suggested that some individuals who entered the U.S. on H-1B visas may have overstayed or were not adequately vetted, particularly during the Biden administration. “Some of these H-1B visa issues are people who were allowed in either under the Biden administration or even before that who’ve overstayed their visa,” he said.
He linked the state’s review to broader immigration enforcement efforts under President Donald Trump, saying Texas officials are in communication with the administration. “Obviously, we are in communication with the Trump administration,” Abbott said, adding that the president has made the issue a priority.
Abbott said the goal of the review is to protect public safety and ensure Texans have access to available jobs. “The fact of the matter is we want to make sure that our communities are safe,” he said. “We want to make sure that our communities are not having people come in and take jobs that Texans can easily fill.”
Depending on the findings, Abbott said Texas could ask the federal government to take additional action. “It may be that we’re having to call specifically on the Trump administration to withdraw them,” he said, referring to certain H-1B visa holders.
The H-1B program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations that typically require at least a bachelor’s degree. It is commonly used in sectors such as technology, medicine, research, and higher education and has long been a subject of political debate.
Critics argue the program can be misused or undercut domestic workers, while supporters say it helps address labor shortages and enables employers to attract global talent in critical fields. (Source: IANS)
