Dallas Independent School District spent millions on H-1B visa legal services, according to district records obtained by The Dallas Express, paying outside attorneys to process hundreds of H-1B visa transactions as scrutiny of taxpayer-funded hiring intensifies across Texas.
An immigration law firm operating under a minority- and women-owned business enterprise designation was paid approximately $2.54 million by Dallas Independent School District to process H-1B labor applications, the records show.
Ramirez & Associates describes itself as a business and immigration law firm with offices in Dallas and Monterrey, Mexico, representing U.S. and foreign clients in matters ranging from labor and employment law to nonimmigrant visas and lawful permanent residency, according to the firm’s website. District expenditure records spanning multiple years show the firm was paid through contracts largely tied to H-1B visa processing and related immigration services.
According to the records reviewed, the following breakdown shows fees paid by DISD:
| Time Period | Amount Paid | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020–2022 | $839,991.76 | H-1B fee-related expenditures |
| 2022–2024 | $1,337,989.58 | H-1B fee-related expenditures |
| 2024–September 2025 | $359,997.57 | H-1B fee-related expenditures |
| Total (2020–2025) | $2,537,978.91 | 599 H-1B fee-related transactions between January 1, 2020, and late September 2025 |
The overwhelming majority of the records indicate the costs associated with recruiting H-1B workers and paying required legal and filing fees were charged to federal funding sources, though a small number of transactions do not list a funding designation. Several files reference Title II, Part A funds under the Every Student Succeeds Act, a federal program intended to support teacher quality and instructional improvement.
Few of the documents identify the specific individuals being recruited. However, at least one record appears to involve an accounting role, and another references an auditor. In both cases, the files indicate the expenses were not covered by Title II funds. In at least one additional instance, the district paid legal costs associated with securing permanent residency for a worker, an expense that was also not listed as Title II-funded.
Federal immigration data show DISD employed 1,272 H-1B visa workers over the past five years, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services H-1B Employer Data Hub.
A privately operated H-1B salary database, which catalogs labor condition applications, indicates that in 2025, the largest share of DISD applications was for bilingual education positions. Other filings listed roles including business analysts, English teachers, accountants, auditors, an HR information systems coordinator, and a professional development instructional specialist.
Nationwide USCIS figures show approximately 72% of H-1B visas are awarded to workers from India and about 12% to workers from China.
The payments to Ramirez & Associates were made while the firm was listed under an MWBE designation in district procurement records. Dallas ISD began formally eliminating its MWBE language in 2025, replacing it with small business enterprise terminology following a change in state laws around DEI. However, the records obtained by The Dallas Express continue to reflect the older MWBE designation even after the policy change.
An entry on Dallas ISD’s website, explaining the W/MBE policy endorsement, states, “All bids of $50,000 or more shall contain the M/WBE Compliance Guidelines and Forms at the time of bid opening.”
Florentino Ramirez, the attorney associated with the DISD account, did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.
The Dallas Express also contacted Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde seeking comment on the expenditures, funding sources, and oversight of H-1B-related spending. No response was received by deadline.
👀ABBOTT: “They’re using H-1B visas to teach our kids. Why can’t we have Texans teaching our kids?”@GregAbbott_TX @DallasExpress pic.twitter.com/ATgxe1BSCA
— Logan Washburn (@loganwashburn76) January 29, 2026
Governor Greg Abbott questioned public K-12 school districts’ hiring practices on January 29th, telling reporters, “They’re using H-1B visas to teach our kids. Why can’t we have Texans teaching our kids?”
In a 2025 interview with the outlet, Trustee Ben Mackey said, “Dallas ISD uses H-1B visas to fill particular teaching positions that are (1) in critical shortage as listed by the Department of Education and (2) we have documented inability of being able to fill without the visas. While there may be a surplus of teachers generally in North Texas, they may not necessarily be certified or qualified to fill the critical shortage vacancies (i.e., if a teacher holds an art certification, they may not be certified for high school math and therefore would not be qualified).”
The trustee also noted that DISD has many programs that “[recruit] aggressively across not only Texas but also across the United States.”
On January 27, Abbott ordered an immediate freeze on new H-1B visa petitions at state agencies and public universities, citing “recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa program” and directing agencies to document their current use of foreign labor, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Outlets such as The Texas Tribune credited DX reporting with preceding the governor’s investigation that ultimately led to his order.
Abbott’s order did not apply to K-12 public school districts.
After obtaining the DISD files, The Dallas Express pressed the Department of Education on whether the federal agency would change or clarify guidance on using taxpayer dollars to support H-1B related expenses, but agency officials did not respond.
The H-1B visa was created by Congress in the early 1990s as a pathway to bring aliens into the country to perform jobs that typically require a bachelor’s degree or higher.
The records do not indicate whether DISD has changed its funding practices or contracting approach since the state-level freeze and review were announced.
