{"id":2555499,"date":"2026-01-28T11:19:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T16:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-gov-greg-abbott-freezes-all-h-1b-visas-after-uncovering-egregious-schemes-3\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T11:20:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T16:20:41","slug":"texas-gov-greg-abbott-freezes-all-h-1b-visas-after-uncovering-egregious-schemes-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-gov-greg-abbott-freezes-all-h-1b-visas-after-uncovering-egregious-schemes-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Freezes All H-1B Visas After Uncovering &#8216;Egregious Schemes&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftexas-gov-greg-abbott-freezes-all-h-1b-visas-after-uncovering-egregious-schemes-3%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2555499&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Texas Gov.Greg Abbott has ordered a freeze on new H-1B visa petitions filed by state agencies and public universities,saying \u201cTexans come first\u201d and directing the pause until May 31,2027 unless the Texas Workforce Commission approves or else. abbott cited reports of abuse in the federal H-1B program \u2014 including employers allegedly firing U.S. workers and replacing them with lower\u2011paid H-1B employees \u2014 and said state jobs, especially those paid with taxpayer dollars, should go to Texas residents. He asked agencies and colleges to report which positions are held by H-1B workers and what recruitment efforts were made to hire Texans. The declaration,posted on X on Jan. 27, 2026, notes that most H-1B holders in Texas work for private companies, while top public institutions using the program include UT Southwestern, texas A&#038;M, MD Anderson, and UT Austin. Abbott referenced President Trump\u2019s proclamation and a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >broader federal review<\/a> of the program; Trump has also proposed greatly increasing employer fees for H-1B visas.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>State agencies and colleges in Texas have been blocked from seeking foreign workers through the H-1B visa program under a freeze initiated Tuesday by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Texans come first. I&rsquo;m directing state agencies and universities to freeze new H-1B visa petitions,&rdquo; Abbott wrote in a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GregAbbott_TX\/status\/2016200102210117721\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">post on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Texas taxpayers invest billions to train our workforce. Those jobs should go to Texans. Texas is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-gov-greg-abbott-freezes-all-h-1b-visas-after-uncovering-egregious-schemes\/\" title=\".... ... Freezes All ...s After Uncovering &#039;Egregious Schemes&#039;\">strongest economic engine<\/a> in America. We&rsquo;re going to keep it that way,&rdquo; Abbott wrote.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Texans come first.<\/p>\n<p>I&rsquo;m directing state agencies and universities to freeze new H-1B visa petitions. Texas taxpayers invest billions to train our workforce. Those jobs should go to Texans.<\/p>\n<p>Texas is the strongest economic engine in America. We&rsquo;re going to keep it that way.&hellip;<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GregAbbott_TX\/status\/2016200102210117721?\">January 27, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadScript(src) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=src; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.async=true; \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.body.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadScript(\"https:\/\/embed.sendtonews.com\/player3\/embedcode.js?fk=s28Az7AY\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #stnvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#stnvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>The freeze will remain in effect until May 31, 2027, unless approved in writing by the Texas Workforce Commission, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/texas-gov-greg-abbott-halts-h-1b-visas-through-2027-after-egregious-schemes-allegedly-displaced-workers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The H-1B program allows employers to bring foreign workers into the United States, generally for positions in industries with a purported shortage of Americans.<\/p>\n<p>Most H-1B workers in Texas work for private companies, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.houstonchronicle.com\/politics\/texas\/article\/greg-abbott-h1b-visas-texas-universities-21317890.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Houston Chronicle<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas tops the list of public universities using the program, with 228 H-1B visa holders, followed by Texas A&amp;M with 214, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston with 171, and the University of Texas at Austin with 169.<\/p>\n<p>Abbott&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/gov.texas.gov\/uploads\/files\/press\/H-1B_Visa_Program_Letter_1.27.2026_State_Agency_Heads_FINAL_.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">letter<\/a> said that &ldquo;the economy of Texas should work for the benefit of Texas workers and Texas employers.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa program, and amid the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-judge-grants-gop-lawmaker-standing-to-sue-biden-administration-over-unrwa-funding-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"... judge grants GOP lawmaker standing to sue Biden administration over UNRWA funding - Washington Examiner\">federal government&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s ongoing review of that program to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions as outlined in this letter,&rdquo; he wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Abbott referenced a proclamation from President Donald Trump when saying that &ldquo;the federal H-1B visa program was created to supplement the United States&rsquo; workforce &mdash; not to replace it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Evidence suggests that bad actors have exploited this program by failing to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-administration-mounts-losses-in-supreme-court\/\" title=\"Biden Administration Mounts Losses in Supreme Court\">make good-faith efforts<\/a> to recruit qualified U.S. workers before seeking to use foreign labor,&rdquo; the letter said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In the most egregious schemes, employers have even fired American workers and replaced them with H-1B employees, often at lower wages,&rdquo; Abbott said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Rather than serving its intended purpose of attracting the best and brightest individuals from around the world to our nation to fill truly specialized and unmet labor needs, the program has too often been used to fill jobs that otherwise could &mdash; and should &mdash; have been filled by Texans,&rdquo; he continued.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;State government must lead by example and ensure that employment opportunities &mdash; particularly those funded with taxpayer dollars &mdash; are filled by Texans first,&rdquo; he wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Abbott ordered that state agencies and colleges must give him a report detailing the jobs filled by H-1B visa holders and the efforts made to fill those jobs with Texas residents.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has said that he wants to raise the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.highereddive.com\/news\/trump-can-order-employers-to-pay-extra-h-1b-fee-chamber-commerce\/808790\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fee<\/a> an employer pays for an H-1B visa by $100,000.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ]; 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Abbott halts H\u20111B hiring at Texas state agencies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2555500,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-01-28T095217.104.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[37721,58708,37104],"class_list":["post-2555499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-greg-abbott","tag-h-1b-visas","tag-texas-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-01-28T095217.104.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2555499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2555499"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2555499\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2555503,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2555499\/revisions\/2555503"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2555500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2555499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2555499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2555499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}