Texas Governor Abbott orders freeze on H-1B visa petitions

Investing.com -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered state agencies and universities to suspend new H-1B visa petitions on Tuesday as part of an investigation into the federal visa program.

In a letter to state agencies, Abbott cited "recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa program" and the federal government’s ongoing review of the program as reasons for the freeze.

The suspension will remain in effect until May 31, 2027, though exceptions may be granted with written permission from the Texas Workforce Commission.

Abbott, a Republican, has directed state agencies to submit a comprehensive report by March 27, 2026. The report must detail how many new and renewal H-1B petitions were submitted last year, the number of visa holders sponsored, and information about their countries of origin and job classifications.

A similar measure is being pursued in Florida, where the state’s Board of Governors is seeking to pause H-1B visas for public universities until January 5, 2027

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