Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller excluded any business holding H-1B visas from eligibility for grants administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The rule, announced October 28, explicitly targets companies that rely on temporary foreign workers over the local labor force.
"Texas taxpayers work hard for their money," Miller stated. "They deserve to know that their tax dollars are being used to create opportunities for Texans -- not to subsidize businesses that choose foreign labor while Texans are ready and willing to work." The commissioner framed the decision as a direct response to the state’s budget priorities, arguing that public funds must yield tangible benefits for local residents.
Miller did not stop at the agriculture department. He publicly challenged Governor Greg Abbott and other statewide elected officials to adopt identical restrictions across their respective agencies and economic development programs. "Governor Abbott has publicly declared that taxpayer-funded employment should prioritize Texans," Miller said. "I agree -- and now it’s time to turn that principle into action."
The exclusion applies strictly to grants managed directly by the TDA. It does not impact TDA-administered programs run by independent boards with their own criteria, nor does it block entities from receiving federal grants or state-funded loans. This move follows Abbott’s January 2026 directive, which ordered a freeze on new H-1B petitions for state agencies and public universities to review the visa program’s use.
The next step involves other state agencies reviewing their own grant programs to match Miller’s criteria. Miller urged leaders to increase transparency regarding recipients and ensure all public funding directly benefits Texas workers.