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Abbott Pushes H-1B Teacher Ban That Could Hit Latino Districts Hard
Greg Abbott wants to ban H-1B workers from Texas public schools, potentially affecting Latino-majority districts that rely on foreign bilingual teachers.
By  Ernesto Iván Vargas Martínez
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Abbott Pushes H-1B Teacher Ban That Could Hit Latino Districts Hard
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Posted on08/26/26 at 02:00

Texas Governor Greg Abbott wants to ban public schools from hiring workers with H-1B visas, including those currently teaching under the program.

Why it matters: although they are few in number statewide, the measure would have a concentrated impact on districts with a strong Latino presence that rely on the program to fill critical vacancies, including bilingual education.

Abbott announced on August 18 that he would ask the Legislature for a law to bring the number of H-1B employees in Texas public schools to «exactly zero.»

Abbott’s H-1B Visa Teacher Ban Threatens Districts

The H-1B is a federal visa that allows for the temporary hiring of foreign workers for specialized occupations. Some districts use it due to the difficulty in finding teachers.

Dallas ISD stands out: it employs 171 workers through the program, more than any other school district or public university in Texas, according to federal data cited by The Texas Tribune.

Who it affects: approximately 71% of Dallas ISD students are Hispanic, according to 2024-25 school year data.

The response: Dallas ISD assured that it hires foreign educators only to fill areas with critical shortages identified by the Texas Education Agency.

The district warned that it would need to increase the number of Texans entering the teaching profession if it has to eliminate these hires.

Alief Also Combines H-1B Visas and Latino Majority

The potential impact also reaches the Houston area. Alief ISD sponsors 17 visas, according to the included reference data.

The connection to the Hispanic community is clear: 63.1% of Alief ISD students are Latino, according to 2026 enrollment data collected by Texas Tribune Schools Explorer.

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The key point: districts use H-1B visas for hard-to-fill positions, such as bilingual education, in addition to other specialties.

Texas, moreover, employs more educators with H-1B visas than any other state, according to a 2025 analysis by the National Education Association cited by The Texas Tribune.

Abbott Links Visas to His Offensive Against Foreign Influence

Abbott presented the proposal as part of a strategy against what he considers foreign influence in Texas education.

He also wants to prevent districts from accepting gifts or financial agreements with foreign sources, a restriction similar to the one in place for public universities.

The difference: an H-1B visa legally authorizes a foreigner to work in the United States; it does not in itself represent funding from a foreign government.

In January, Abbott had already frozen new H-1B applications in state agencies and public universities, but that order did not include K-12 schools.

The Ban Still Needs Legislative Approval

The measure is not yet in effect. The Texas Legislature, which reconvenes in 2027, would have to approve the change before Abbott can turn it into law.

What’s next: Abbott wants the ban to apply to both new applicants and workers who already possess H-1B visas.

The debate will thus pit the governor’s goal of eliminating these hires against the needs of districts that claim to use them to fill positions where teachers are lacking, including school systems with a large majority of Latino students.