Texas Gov. Abbott Demands H-1B Visa Data From Universities and Schools, Questions Need for Foreign Workers in Education

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is demanding comprehensive data from public universities and K-12 schools about employees working under H-1B visas, signaling a potential crackdown on foreign worker employment in the state's education system. The move has sparked immediate concerns from higher education advocates who warn that restricting international talent could damage Texas' research capabilities and economic competitiveness.

In an interview Monday with conservative radio host Mark Davis, Abbott announced his administration is examining whether Texas taxpayer dollars support H-1B visa holders at public educational institutions. He indicated the state would announce an "action plan" later this week based on findings from the inquiry.

"I don't see any reason why we need any H-1B visa employees in our public schools in the state of Texas," Abbott stated. "But we're going to find out if there's some unique skill set or whatever the case may be."

Urgent Data Request to University Systems

Internal emails obtained by Quorum Report reveal the governor's office contacted Texas A&M University System leaders Friday, requesting detailed information about all H-1B visa employees by close of business Monday. The data request specifically sought employees' roles, responsibilities, and countries of origin.

The tight deadline came as many Texas universities, including Texas A&M and the University of Texas at Austin, were closed Monday due to severe winter weather that impacted much of the state. The Texas Tribune reached out to multiple university systems for comment but received no immediate responses due to the closures.

The request marks an escalation in scrutiny of foreign worker programs at educational institutions, following recent reporting by conservative news outlet The Dallas Express. That publication disclosed it had sought public records about Texas A&M University's H-1B visa usage for months and filed a complaint with the Texas attorney general before obtaining the information.

Understanding H-1B Visas in Education

H-1B visas allow employers to hire foreign workers for specialized positions typically requiring at least a bachelor's degree. The program has become essential infrastructure for America's research universities and academic medical centers, which rely on these visas to recruit professors, researchers, physicians, and other highly trained professionals from around the world.

Federal immigration data demonstrate that some of Texas' largest education-sector employers of H-1B visa holders include major school districts like Dallas ISD, as well as prestigious academic medical centers such as UT Southwestern Medical Center and UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. These institutions compete globally for top talent in specialized fields where qualified American workers may be scarce.

Universities particularly depend on H-1B visas to staff cutting-edge research programs in fields like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, engineering, and medicine. Many of these positions require extremely specialized expertise that takes years to develop and may not be readily available among domestic applicants.

Broader Political Context

Abbott's comments suggested alignment with the Trump administration's immigration enforcement priorities. He indicated that some visa holders may have been admitted during the Biden administration and could have overstayed their authorized periods.

"Those, again, are the type of people that the Trump administration is trying to remove," Abbott said, linking his inquiry to federal immigration enforcement efforts.

The governor's investigation comes amid heightened national debate over H-1B visas and skilled immigration policy. While the Trump administration has generally taken restrictive stances on immigration, the H-1B program has created tensions within the Republican coalition. Tech industry leaders and business groups—including those close to Trump—have advocated for maintaining or expanding access to high-skilled foreign workers, while immigration restrictionists argue the program displaces American workers and suppresses wages.

Recent federal policy changes have already created new challenges for universities seeking to hire international talent. A $100,000 fee imposed on some new H-1B hires from abroad has drawn criticism from academic leaders who say it makes American institutions less competitive globally.

Higher Education Leaders Sound Alarm

Higher education advocates quickly raised concerns about the potential economic and academic consequences of restricting universities' access to international faculty and researchers.

"What has made U.S. higher education the best in the world is that we have been able to attract the best people for these positions," said Miriam Feldblum, co-founder and CEO of the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. Her organization represents a national coalition of college and university leaders focused on immigration policy issues.

Feldblum emphasized that recent federal policies already threaten the competitiveness of American universities in recruiting global talent. Additional state-level restrictions could compound these challenges, potentially driving top researchers and scholars to institutions in other countries or states with more welcoming policies.

The concern extends beyond individual career decisions. Research universities generate substantial economic activity through sponsored research, technology transfer, startup companies, and highly paid jobs. International faculty and researchers contribute significantly to this ecosystem, bringing diverse perspectives and global research networks that enhance American innovation capacity.

Questions About Implementation

Abbott's broad statement questioning the need for H-1B visa holders in public schools raised immediate questions about how such a policy might work in practice. While K-12 schools employ relatively few H-1B workers compared to universities, those positions often fill critical gaps in specialized areas like bilingual education, special education, and STEM instruction in rural or underserved districts.

At the university level, the implications could be far more dramatic. Major research universities employ hundreds or thousands of H-1B visa holders in roles spanning from laboratory scientists and medical specialists to assistant professors in engineering and computer science departments. Many of these employees are on paths to permanent residency and have been recruited through extensive national or international searches.

The governor's office and affected university systems had not immediately clarified several key questions: Would the proposed action plan apply retroactively to current employees? Would it affect only new hires? How would it distinguish between different types of positions and specializations? What process would determine whether a "unique skill set" justifies an exception?

Potential Consequences for Texas

Texas has positioned itself as a leader in higher education and research, with institutions like the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Rice University, and others consistently ranking among the nation's top research institutions. This status depends significantly on the ability to compete globally for talent.

The state's major academic medical centers—including UT Southwestern, UT MD Anderson, Baylor College of Medicine, and others—conduct groundbreaking research and provide specialized clinical care that often requires recruiting physicians and scientists trained in specific techniques or fields available only at a handful of institutions worldwide.

Technology companies and startups frequently cite access to university research and talent pipelines as factors in location decisions. Restrictions on international hiring could potentially influence where companies choose to establish operations, affecting Texas' broader economic development strategy.

Abbott's inquiry also comes as Texas institutions compete for major research initiatives. Binghamton University in New York just announced a record $55 million investment to establish the nation's first independent AI research center at a public university. Such initiatives require access to global talent pools to succeed.

Timeline and Next Steps

The governor indicated Texas would announce its action plan later this week, presumably after reviewing the data collected from universities and school districts. The specific contents and implementation timeline of this plan remain unclear.

University leaders, faculty groups, and higher education associations will likely mobilize quickly if the proposed policies threaten existing employees or future hiring flexibility. Previous attempts to restrict international student or scholar programs have prompted legal challenges and coordinated advocacy efforts.

The controversy also unfolds against the backdrop of Texas' 2026 legislative session, where education policy remains contentious. Lawmakers continue debating school vouchers, funding formulas, and the role of universities in state economic development—issues that could intersect with questions about international hiring.

National Implications

While Abbott's inquiry focuses on Texas institutions, other Republican-led states may watch the outcome closely. State-level restrictions on H-1B employment would represent a new front in immigration policy, which has traditionally been primarily a federal domain.

The tension between state and federal authority over employment-based immigration could raise legal questions. H-1B visas are issued by federal authorities under federal law, though states maintain significant control over public employment and educational institutions.

Texas' actions could also influence the broader national debate over skilled immigration policy. If implemented, restrictions in one of America's largest and most economically dynamic states could provide data points for both supporters and opponents of current H-1B program structures.

Looking Ahead

As Texas universities and schools compile the requested data under tight deadlines, the education community awaits details of the governor's planned action. The outcome will likely shape not only employment practices at Texas institutions but potentially influence the national conversation about skilled immigration, university autonomy, and America's competitiveness in research and innovation.

For now, uncertainty prevails. International faculty and researchers at Texas institutions face questions about their future, while university leaders must balance compliance with state directives against their institutional missions and competitive imperatives.

The coming weeks will reveal whether Abbott's investigation leads to significant policy changes or represents primarily a political statement aligned with broader immigration enforcement themes. Either way, the episode highlights the growing intersection of immigration politics with higher education policy—a trend that shows no signs of abating.