Texas has invested billions in cancer research, recruiting top scientists from around the world. However, Governor Greg Abbott’s recent H-1B visa restrictions may hinder this progress. The restrictions, aimed at protecting Texas workers and preventing abuse of the federal program, could limit the number of foreign-born researchers in the state.
Impact on Cancer Research
At MD Anderson Cancer Center, researchers holding H-1B work visas are working on groundbreaking projects, including exploring why tumors resist treatment and testing new drugs. The center has sponsored 277 workers through the H-1B program, with most of these jobs directly tied to cancer research and treatment.
Cancer advocates, such as Lore Gruenbaum, chief scientific officer and senior vice president of research at Blood Cancer United, warn that these restrictions send a chilling message to foreign-born researchers. Gruenbaum estimates that foreign-born students make up over 40% of the graduate-student pool in biomedical research and at least half of postdoctoral trainees.
The H-1B program was created to supplement the nation’s workforce, not replace it. Abbott’s directive requires public institutions to report their existing H-1B workers and obtain permission from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) before filing new H-1B petitions.
Recruiting Top Talent
Texas spent decades building its cancer-research enterprise, with the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) committing $3 billion to make the state a national leader in fighting cancer. MD Anderson researchers have received over $745 million from CPRIT, and the center has led all U.S.-based higher education institutions in National Cancer Institute funding every year from 2020 to 2025.
The visa program has become integral to the cancer-research enterprise in Texas. Immigration attorneys and cancer advocates warn that the new restrictions could affect the state’s ability to recruit and retain top talent in the field.
Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
