AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott has proposed legislation that would bar Texas public schools from sponsoring H-1B visas for foreign workers, seeking to eliminate H-1B employment in the state’s public school system.
Abbott announced the proposal Tuesday as part of a broader effort to limit foreign influence in Texas education. He said he wants legislation that would ensure “exactly zero” public school employees hold H-1B visas.
The governor also proposed prohibiting public schools from accepting gifts or entering financial agreements with foreign sources, similar to restrictions already imposed on Texas universities.
H-1B visas allow U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for specialized occupations. While universities and affiliated health institutions employ most H-1B workers in Texas’ education sector, several school districts use the program to address teacher shortages, including in bilingual education.
Dallas ISD employs 171 H-1B visa holders, more than any other Texas school district or public university, according to federal data.
“We’re tired of the federal government not putting limits on who can come in under H-1Bs,” Abbott said during a campaign stop in Austin.
The Texas Legislature, which convenes next year, would have to approve the proposed restrictions before they could take effect. Abbott said the legislation would apply to both current H-1B visa holders and future applicants.
Abbott ordered state agencies and public universities in January to freeze new H-1B visa petitions, but the directive did not cover K-12 public schools.
The proposal comes as President Donald Trump’s administration has increased scrutiny of the H-1B program, arguing that some employers use the visas to replace U.S. workers with lower-paid foreign employees.
Texas school districts employ more H-1B educators than those in any other state, according to a 2025 analysis from the National Education Association.