America First Immigration Weekly

For years, Americans have been told that mass visa programs were harmless, necessary, even benevolent; all while layoffs mounted, wages stalled, and enforcement quietly disappeared. That narrative is now cracking.

From Texas launching a formal investigation into H-1B abuse, to state leaders halting taxpayer-funded visa hiring, to federal law enforcement raids tied to fraudulent business operations, and even a national security breach involving senior cyber officials and AI tools, the same theme keeps surfacing:

Systems meant to serve Americans are being exploited and the consequences are finally coming into view.

This week’s developments are not isolated headlines. They are signals. Signals that states are no longer waiting on Washington. Signals that immigration fraud is being treated as economic crime. Signals that national security, labor policy, and foreign influence are colliding in ways that can no longer be ignored.

Here’s what happened and why it matters to American workers, taxpayers, and national security.

New WND Exclusives

Immigration in the news

Texas AG Launches Sweeping H-1B Abuse Investigation

Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a broad probe into alleged abuses of the federal H-1B visa program tied to suspicious operations at multiple North Texas businesses. Paxton’s office has issued Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) to three companies suspected of creating “sham companies”, maintaining “ghost offices” and falsely advertising services for the purpose of visa sponsorship, tactics critics say are designed to engineer exploitative visa approvals while disadvantaging American workers. The identities of the companies have not yet been publicly disclosed.

AG Paxton emphasized that fraud and exploitation in the H-1B system “strip jobs and opportunities away from Texans” and pledged to use “every tool available to uproot and hold accountable” those involved.

Texas Governor Freezes New H-1B Petitions Until 2027

In tandem with the AG’s investigation, Governor Greg Abbott issued a directive to all Texas state agencies and public universities to suspend new H-1B visa petitions until May 31, 2027. The freeze aims to ensure taxpayer-funded employers prioritize hiring Texas residents and to align with ongoing federal reviews of the visa program.

State entities must also audit recent H-1B activity and report details, including visa holders, job classifications, and recruitment efforts, to the Texas Workforce Commission by March 27, 2026. Critics warn the freeze could constrain workforce planning in research, healthcare, and technology sectors.

CBS News Texas Exclusive FBI & County Sleuths Conclude Jewelry Store Raids

CBS News Texas reported that two simultaneous law enforcement raids at jewelry stores in Irving and Frisco, Texas, were the culmination of a year-long investigation by the Collin County Sheriff’s Office and federal authorities.

Although the report does not directly tie the raids to visa fraud, the operation reflects heightened federal enforcement activity in North Texas, the same region where H-1B abuse investigations are now underway.

Breaking: CISA Head Uploaded Sensitive Government Files to Public ChatGPT

In a separate national security controversy, Madhu Gottumukkala, the acting director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), uploaded multiple “for official use only” government contracting documents into a public version of ChatGPT

Though the documents were not classified, the upload triggered automated security alerts within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Federal officials raised concerns because public ChatGPT data is shared with OpenAI and may be incorporated into broader model outputs, creating a potential exposure of sensitive government information.

CISA insists Gottumukkala’s use of the platform was “short-term and limited” and conducted under approved exceptions, but the incident has prompted internal review to determine whether departmental policies were violated and what risk, if any, resulted.

The combination of state enforcement actions in Texas, federal investigations, and broader immigration policy shifts suggests a turning point in how H-1B visas are regulated and perceived within the U.S. policy debate.

Stay tuned for next week’s edition, where we’ll analyze how these developments impact American workers, employers, and national security policy.