Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered all public universities and state agencies to halt processing any new H-1B visas, a move experts argued throws into disarray a small — but crucial — sector of the state’s workforce.
In a radio interview earlier this month, Abbott said he did not see “any reason” for foreign workers at taxpayer-funded institutions. He ordered schools, including campus leadership across the University of Texas System and school districts, to submit detailed reports on new and existing applications for H1-B visas, a process typically administered by the federal government. Until Texas can conduct a sweeping review, Abbott said on Tuesday he has prohibited public universities and state agencies from initiating H-1B visa petitions without written permission from the Texas Workforce Commission through the end of the next legislative session on May 31, 2027.
