The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) will no longer award eligible department-administered grants to businesses that employ H-1B visa holders, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced Oct. 28, according to an agency news release.
The agency said the policy is intended to put taxpayer dollars behind Texas workers rather than companies that rely on temporary foreign labor. “Texas taxpayers work hard for their money. 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,” Miller said in the release.
According to the release, businesses seeking eligible TDA grant funding must meet the department’s new requirements, including restrictions tied to employing H-1B visa holders. The agency said the proposed eligibility changes do not apply to TDA-administered grant programs operated on behalf of independent boards, commissions or other entities that establish their own eligibility criteria. The changes also do not restrict public or private Texas entities from receiving federal grant funds or participating in state-funded loan programs administered by the department, the agency said.
Miller also challenged Gov. Greg Abbott and other statewide elected officials to adopt similar safeguards across their agencies, grant programs and economic development initiatives. “Governor Abbott has publicly declared that taxpayer-funded employment should prioritize Texans. I agree—and now it’s time to turn that principle into action,” Miller said, according to the release.
The commissioner called on state leaders to review existing economic incentive and grant programs, increase transparency surrounding recipients and ensure that public funding advances opportunities for Texas workers, the agency said. In the release, Miller pointed to the state’s investments in education, job training and workforce development as part of his argument for scrutinizing how businesses that receive public assistance operate.
“My message to state leaders is simple: stand with Texas workers, protect taxpayer dollars, and make Texas families the priority,” Miller said.
The release did not list the specific TDA grant programs affected by the new requirements.