U.S. Representative Chip Roy of Texas is demanding that Texas State University explain why it renewed an employment contract with a foreign worker on an H-1B visa, according to a letter obtained by the Daily Caller. The university drew scrutiny after renewing the position of an H-1B visa holder who had graduated from the school, rather than filling the role with an American graduate or worker.
Roy’s letter presses the university on its hiring priorities. “It raises questions about the extent to which the university may be prioritizing the hiring of foreign nationals over American graduates and workers, and whether it made good-faith efforts to recruit a qualified U.S. citizen for the position,” the letter reads.
The timing adds another layer to the dispute.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed all state agencies and universities to freeze new H-1B visa petitions through May 31, 2027. Roy’s letter ties that directive to broader labor-market concerns across the state. “Recent data show Texas as a leading state in Labor Condition Applications filed to hire H-1B workers, raising concerns that businesses, employers, and colleges may be overlooking Texans who are qualified, talented, and, in many cases, being displaced to employ cheaper foreign alternatives who likely do not possess unique or specialized skills,” the letter states.
Roy is asking Texas State to turn over specific figures. He wants a count of every H-1B visa holder the university has employed since fiscal year 2020, along with the current number on staff, their listed specialized skills, and their salaries.
He is also seeking a paper trail on recruitment. The letter asks for “a detailed explanation of how Texas State has tried to recruit U.S. citizens,” measured against job postings the university used to solicit H-1B workers.
Roy summarized his position bluntly. “The H-1B visa program does not serve the interests of Texas nor the nation,” he wrote.
Texas State University has not issued a public response to the letter. How the university answers Roy’s request for hiring data is likely to shape the broader fight over foreign-worker visas at Texas colleges while Abbott’s statewide freeze on new H-1B petitions remains in effect.
