Gov. During a campaign stop, Abbott proposes a moratorium on the use of H-1B visas in Texas public institutions.

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Under a restrictions placed by the governor, Texas public schools don’t partner H-1B visas to employ foreigners. Greg Abbott made the proposal on Tuesday.

Abbott said he wants policy to make sure “exactly zero” Texas public school employees are in the state while on the national visa as part of an effort to combat foreign influence in the state’s educational methods. Similar to what is currently in place for Texas institutions, the governor said he would propose legislation that would ban public institutions from accepting donations or entering monetary agreements with foreign entities.

The majority of H-1B card holders in the government’s education sector are commonly employed by universities and associated health institutions, but many school districts use the visas to load urgent teacher shortages in positions like bilingual education.

We’re sick of the federal government putting restrictions on who can enter H-1B permits, and Texas is having to put our finger down because of that, and that means making some difficult decisions, according to Abbott, who made the announcement during a promotion halt in Austin.

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According to national data, Dallas ISD employs more people who are 171 card holders than any other district or public college in Texas. A request for comment on Abbott’s late evening news was not instantly received by officials from the state’s second-largest area.

The governor has sign these policy changes before the Legislature convenes next year. Abbott stated that he favors a law that would be applicable to both present H-1B card holders and any applicants seeking the visa, which are for highly specific positions.

Abbott originally stated in January that he was looking into whether H-1B card holders were receiving funding from the government. He therefore imposed a freeze on new H-1B visa petitions on state authorities and public universities, but the thaw did not apply to K-12 institutions.

His suggestion comes as H-1B card holders are being targeted by President Donald Trump’s administration, who has accused employers of squandering the software to remove American workers with lower-paid and lower-skilled labor. H-1B applications are vetted and approved by governmental authorities.

According to a 2025 study from the National Education Association, Texas regions employ more educators who are H-1B visa holders than any other U.S. state.

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Aug 18, 2026Hill Country Post

Gov. During a campaign stop, Abbott proposes a moratorium on the use of H-1B visas in Texas public institutions.

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