Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas universities and state agencies on Tuesday to halt new H-1B visa petitions, which are used by employers to hire foreign workers with specialised skills, until next year. The pause in the red state, which is home to tens of thousands of H-1B visa holders, comes amid actions by the Trump administration aimed at reshaping the visa programme. Critics argue that it has become a pipeline for overseas workers willing to work for lower pay and is taking job opportunities from Americans. But supporters say the program is crucial to attract top global talent, fill specialised roles and drive innovation.

The pause in Texas, which only applies to state agencies "controlled by a gubernatorially appointed head" and public universities, is scheduled to last until May 31, 2027. Abbott`s order does allow exceptions if permission is granted from the Texas Workforce Commission. Abbott said the freeze will give lawmakers time to "establish statutory guardrails for future employment practices regarding federal visa holders in state government" and for Congress to "modify federal law" and for the Trump Administration to "implement reforms aimed at eliminating abuse of this visa program." Currently, the public university in the state with the most H-1B visas is the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas with 228 visa holders, based on data reported by the US Citizen & Immigration Services in September.