Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced on October 28 that businesses employing H-1B visa holders will no longer qualify for eligible grants administered directly by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). He said the move puts Texas workers first and protects taxpayer money.
What it covers
- Covered: eligible grants that TDA administers directly.
- Not covered: programmes TDA runs for independent boards or commissions with their own rules, federal grants, and state-funded loan programmes TDA administers.
- Not stated: the start date, which grants, and how much money is involved.
What Miller said
"Texas workers should come first. Period," Miller said, adding that a company seeking taxpayer support "should demonstrate a commitment to the people paying the bill." He challenged Governor Greg Abbott and other statewide officials to adopt similar rules. Gulte notes that Abbott directed state agencies and public universities in January 2026 to temporarily freeze new H-1B petitions.
Texas has about 708,000 Asian Indians, per the 2025 Census survey. No response from industry groups or Indian-American organisations was found.
