Senior investigative reporter for The Dallas Express, Kellen McGovern Jones, will speak Monday in Irving as part of his ongoing statewide tour examining how federal visa policy, private employers, and public institutions are shaping local communities across Texas.
Jones is scheduled to appear at the Irving Republican Women’s meeting on Monday, January 12, 2026.
The program begins at 7:00 p.m., following a 6:30 p.m. check-in, and will include a question-and-answer session.
The Irving event marks the fourteenth stop on Jones’ tour, which he has emphasized is non-partisan and designed to explain both the benefits and drawbacks of the federal H-1B visa program, as well as reforms proposed by lawmakers from both parties in Congress.
“When people hear ‘H-1B,’ they tend to think it’s a distant Washington issue,” Jones said ahead of the event. “In reality, it affects who gets hired, who gets laid off, what wages look like, and how local tax dollars are spent in places like Irving.”
Jones’ remarks will focus on how major employers and universities use the H-1B visa system, how those practices ripple through workplaces and neighborhoods, and why the issue has drawn increased scrutiny from policymakers and voters alike.
“This isn’t just about immigration policy in the abstract,” Jones said. “It’s about whether communities are subsidizing labor decisions that displace local workers or suppress wages, and whether taxpayers are getting an honest accounting of where their money is going. The program has legitimate tradeoffs, and we should be truthful about what those are.”
Jones is scheduled to speak under the program title, “How Texans Lose Jobs to H-1B Visas: Trump Administration Reforms and Congressional Proposals.”
Organizers said the discussion is intended to inform attendees and encourage civic engagement rather than promote a partisan position.
“I want people to leave understanding how this system shows up in their own workplaces and schools,” Jones said. “Once you see how close to home it is, the policy debate looks very different. This is about transparency and civic engagement. Whether people support reform or oppose it, they should understand how these decisions are being made and how they can participate.”
