More than 50 Texas House Republicans are calling on Congress to immediately freeze new H-1B visas in the wake of the deadly Austin attack.

In a March 2 letter to congressional leaders, lawmakers led by State Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant), Chairman of the Texas House Homeland Security Committee, urged an “Immediate Freeze All H-1B Visa Issuances” until a “comprehensive audit” of current visa holders is completed.

The letter was addressed to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

 

The FBI has said it is investigating the early morning March 1 shooting on Austin’s West Sixth Street as a potential act of terrorism. Two people were killed, and 14 others were wounded, before the suspect was shot and killed by police, as The Dallas Express reported.

“We must know who is in this country, why they are here, and whether they pose any risk to national security,” the lawmakers wrote, arguing that “The time to act is now.”

The call for a visa freeze follows heightened security measures announced by Greg Abbott, who warned Texas would respond with “decisive and overwhelming force” and expanded patrols under Operation Fury Shield, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.

The debate also comes days after The Dallas Express detailed Austin’s reliance on the H-1B program. A newly refreshed federal dataset showed Oracle America Inc., Tesla Inc., and Indeed Inc. among the top H-1B petitioners in the city from January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2025.

Critics of the visa program argue it can displace U.S. workers, while supporters say it is essential for recruiting high-skilled talent. Congress has not yet publicly responded to the lawmakers’ request.