Category: Greg abbott
Ken Paxton launches crackdown on H-1B fraud in Texas after exposé by BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton credited BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales on Wednesday with getting the ball rolling on a new and “wide-sweeping investigation into abuse of the H-1B visa program by Texas businesses.”
Standing outside a seemingly vacant single-family home in Irving — the supposed office of 3Bees Technologies Inc., one of the companies Gonzales scrutinized in a damning report on possible H-1B fraud earlier this month — Paxton told the BlazeTV host, “Thanks to you, we’re here today.”
‘It’s not our first rodeo, and we’ll definitely find out what’s going on.’
“We’ve started an investigation into three different companies that we think might be scamming people with these H-1B visas,” said Paxton.
“Thanks to you, we’ve sent them questionnaires,” continued Paxton. “They’re called Civil Investigative Demands, and they’re designed to find out what the truth is, what is actually happening, what are their actual practices. Are they defrauding consumers? Are they misguiding people as to what they’re actually doing?”
Paxton has ordered the companies to provide documents identifying all of their employees, records detailing the specific products or services they provide, financial statements, and communications pertaining to company operations.
Although the Texas Attorney General’s Office is currently looking at three businesses in North Texas, Paxton indicated that is the start of a much larger investigation.
‘Abuse and fraud within these programs strip jobs and opportunities away from Texans.’
The Texas attorney general expressed confidence that potential fraudsters will be flushed out, telling Gonzales, “It’s not our first rodeo, and we will definitely find out what’s going on.”
“Any criminal who attempts to scam the H-1B visa program and use ‘ghost offices’ or other fraudulent ploys should be prepared to face the full force of the law,” Paxton said in a statement.
RELATED: ‘Where are all the workers?’ BlazeTV’s Sara Gonzales exposes potential H-1B visa fraud in Texas
Photo (left): BlazeTV; Photo (right): Brandon Bell/Getty Images
“Abuse and fraud within these programs strip jobs and opportunities away from Texans. I will use every tool available to uproot and hold accountable any individual or company engaged in these fraudulent schemes,” added the Texas attorney general.
Gonzales’ exposé evidently also captured the attention of Gov. Greg Abbott (R).
Citing “recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa program” and the “federal government’s ongoing review of that program to ensure American jobs are going to American workers,” Abbott directed all state agencies on Tuesday to “immediately freeze” new H-1B visa petitions.
In addition to pumping the brakes on new H-1B visas, Abbott demanded that public universities and various state agencies provide an account of how many H-1B visa holders they are currently sponsoring; the countries of origin of their sponsored H-1B visa holders; the expected expiration date for each sponsored visa; and the efforts taken to ensure that Texan candidates were afforded a reasonable opportunity to apply for each position filled by an H-1B visa holder.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ H-1B Employer Data Hub indicates that over 41,500 H-1B visa beneficiaries were approved for fiscal year 2025 in Texas.
Qubitz Tech Systems, one of the companies Gonzales scrutinized in her report, had 12 H-1B beneficiaries approved last year. The company, whose visa job contact is Hari Madiraju, has apparently been hiring “software developers” from abroad for years.
When Gonzales went to the address listed for Qubitz in Frisco, Texas — a four-bedroom house in a residential neighborhood — she was greeted by a man responding to “Hari” who was clearly not happy to see her.
At the mention of Qubitz and its supposed employees, Hari called the police, which Gonzales welcomed.
Gonzales later paid a visit to Qubitz’s supposed worksite. Instead of finding a dozen or more workers engaged in the kind of software development that supposedly requires foreign talent, she found a vacant prison-cell-sized room with a single chair and some folding tables.
“Pretty cramped working quarters for 12 H-1B workers,” said Gonzales. “I’m not buying it.”
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Islamic sports event tied to designated terrorist group prompts Gov. Abbott to put pressure on Texas school district
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is taking action in response to a public school district’s alleged plan to use its facilities for an event sponsored by a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to a letter obtained by Blaze News.
The Islamic Games Houston 2026 is scheduled to be held in Cypress, Texas, in September or October, according to the event’s website. The event will feature several competitive sports, including basketball, soccer, a charity run, track, and swimming.
‘Texans expect immediate action to curb the spread of Islamic extremism, and public facilities funded by their tax dollars will not be utilized to benefit terrorist organizations.’
While the event webpage notes that the date and location of the games are still being determined, it features an aerial map of Sprague Middle School and Bridgeland High School, unified campuses in the Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District. The map of the schools’ properties indicates where attendees can enter, register, pray, grab food, and participate in the various sporting events.
According to an archived version of the Islamic Games Houston 2025, Bridgeland High School and Sprague Middle School hosted the games last year.
The website previously listed the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ New Jersey chapter as a sponsor but has since removed the organization’s logo. Abbott designated CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations in November. CAIR has pushed back against the governor’s designation.
On Wednesday afternoon, Abbott’s office sent a letter to the Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District demanding it “immediately preserve all records and communications concerning this event.”
“You must confirm with my office within seven days of receiving this letter that any negotiations or agreements for this event have been terminated. If you fail to do so, I will direct the Texas Education Agency to immediately seize and uncover any communications direct employees may have regarding CAIR, any attempts to conceal CAIR’s involvement, and any agreements or financial statements related to the proposed event,” Abbott wrote.
He stated that he would also direct the Texas Education Agency to refer any of its findings to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for possible legal action.
Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images
In the letter to the school district, Abbott accused CAIR-NJ of praising “Hamas’ slaughter of innocent civilians.”
“You cannot invite such dangers through the front doors of our schools. In fact, state law requires public schools to prohibit illegal activities from taking place on school property. It is obvious, then, that you may not use taxpayer-funded public facilities to host events sponsored by a designated terror organization. To do so would violate your duty to taxpayers and the safety of students. Radical Islamic extremism is not welcome in Texas — and certainly not in our schools,” Abbott wrote.
“Texans deserve immediate action to curb the spread of Islamic extremism, and public facilities funded by their tax dollars will not be utilized to host terrorist related groups,” he added.
The Islamic Games’ website also indicated that it was slated to host the 2026 Dallas event at a school within the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District on May 9 and 10. However, the district told Blaze News that the reservation for the facility “was still in negotiation review and not yet finalized.”
“On January 19, GCISD was made aware that an organization listed as a sponsor of the Islamic Games in North Texas has been declared a Terrorist Organization by the Governor of Texas. Texas Government Code § 2252.152 states that, ‘[a] governmental entity may not enter into a governmental contract with a company identified as a foreign terrorist organization,'” Nicole Lyons, GCISD’s executive director of communications, told Blaze News.
“Thus, GCISD provided notice that it is severing the negotiations for the use of District properties for the 2026 Islamic Games,” Lyons added.
Abbott’s letter to CFISD noted that GCISD “rightfully” announced it had severed negotiations and encouraged CFISD to do the same.
RELATED: Gov. Abbott talks redistricting victory, action against CAIR with Glenn Beck
Greg Abbott. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images
A spokesperson with CAIR-NJ told Blaze News that its chapter “fully supports” the Islamic Games but noted that the group typically sponsors the events held in New Jersey.
“This one is outside of our state,” the spokesperson stated.
The Islamic Games have upcoming events outside Texas, including in New Jersey, Ontario, Illinois, Maryland, and Michigan.
CFISD and the Islamic Games did not respond to a request for comment.
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Gov. Abbott takes action against ‘progressive DAs’ after horrendous case involving Austin grade school
A case involving an alleged career criminal threatening to kill elementary school students in Austin has prompted Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to take decisive actions against “progressive DAs.”
Abbott cited claims from the Austin Justice watchdog group that Michael Nnaji had been arrested over 34 cases since 2019 but was released or had charges reduced by lenient prosecutors.
‘Those DAs must be held accountable and prosecutorial power must be shifted to actual prosecutors.’
Nnaji allegedly “banged on the locked glass doors” of Padrón Elementary School in Austin in Oct. 2024 and screamed “I’m going to go inside and kill, I’m gonna find a way to get in.”
The man skipped court after being released on bond, according to Austin Justice, and had charges dropped over a Dec. 5 trespass at a gas station while he was fleeing justice over the school threat charges.
Abbott wrote on social media Monday that he would push legislation to reel in progressive district attorneys.
“I am calling for legislation that creates a Chief State Prosecutor to actually prosecute criminals like this that DAs in places like Austin refuse to prosecute,” he wrote.
“Progressive DAs are literally leading to the murder of Texans,” Abbott added. “Those DAs must be held accountable and prosecutorial power must be shifted to actual prosecutors.”
RELATED: Soros-backed LA district attorney under fire over lax sentence in hit-and-run of mom and baby
Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk backed the proposal in a statement on social media.
“This is a great idea! I initially read this as ‘let’s prosecute DAs that refuse to prosecute,’ which is also a good idea,” he posted, adding a laughing emoji.
Prosecutorial discretion under current Texas law lies with local prosecutors who are elected by the voters.
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Gov. DeSantis joins Gov. Abbott in taking a stand against radical Islam
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced a new executive order on Monday, taking action against radical Islam.
DeSantis issued an order designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist organizations.
‘CAIR was designated as an unindicted co-conspirator by the United States Government in the largest terrorism-financing case in American history.’
The order, which took immediate effect, argued that the Muslim Brotherhood is a “transnational network with a long history of engaging in or supporting violence,” noting that the group created Hamas in 1987. It stated that the U.S. designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997 and that the group was responsible for 1,200 murders on October 7, 2023.
DeSantis’ order explained that the Palestine Committee, a group affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, founded CAIR in the U.S. in 1994.
“CAIR was designated as an unindicted co-conspirator by the United States Government in the largest terrorism-financing case in American history, and the court found ‘ample evidence to establish the association[]’ of CAIR with terrorist organizations,” the order read, citing United States v. Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development.
RELATED: Gov. Abbott talks redistricting victory, action against CAIR with Glenn Beck
KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP via Getty Images
“Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by these organizations, including denying privileges or resources to anyone providing material support,” DeSantis stated.
DeSantis’ order follows similar executive action from Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) in November.
RELATED: No Sharia law in Texas: Abbott draws a hard line against radical Islam
Greg Abbott. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images
CAIR issued a statement declaring that it plans to file a lawsuit against DeSantis’ designation, accusing the governor of “serving the Israeli government over serving the people of Florida.”
“Like Greg Abbott in Texas, Ron DeSantis is an Israel First politician who wants to smear and silence Americans, especially American Muslims, critical of U.S. support for Israel’s war crimes,” CAIR National and CAIR-Florida said in a joint statement. “Governor DeSantis knows full well that CAIR-Florida is an American civil rights organization that has spent decades advancing free speech, religious freedom, and justice for all, including for the Palestinian people. That’s precisely why Governor DeSantis is targeting our civil rights group with this unconstitutional and defamatory proclamation.”
CAIR plans to hold a press conference on Tuesday to announce details of its forthcoming lawsuit against the state of Florida.
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Islamist groups in Texas rake in $13M in taxpayer-funded grants amid Abbott’s battle against Sharia law
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has taken aggressive action this week against Sharia law, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Yet critics are demanding to know why, during his time in office, millions in taxpayer-funded grants have been allocated to alleged Islamist organizations based in Texas.
Abbott announced on Tuesday that he had designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations. The following day, Abbott urged local district attorneys to investigate potential Sharia “courts” operating in Texas and defying state and federal laws to push Islamic codes.
‘Unlike the previous administration, recipients of grants will no longer be permitted to use federal funds to … empower radical organizations with unseemly ties that don’t serve the interest of the American people.’
Despite Abbott’s recent actions, some have faulted the governor for allowing taxpayer dollars to be used to fund the uptick in Islamic mosques in Texas, citing a June report from the Middle East Forum. The article claimed Texas gave “over $13 million of federal and state monies to mosques and community groups aligned with Islamist movements such as Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Jamaat-e-Islami, as well as hostile foreign regimes.”
Of the 18 organizations that received funds, a dozen were said to have “extremist links.”
“While a few thousand dollars in the state government’s data consists of the return of escheated funds, the vast majority of the millions spent appear to be the result of direct state grants, subsidy programs, and federal sub-awards managed by the Texas state government,” the Middle East Forum wrote.
The Texas governor’s office told Blaze News that the funding referenced in the Middle East Forum’s report was not state tax dollars but rather federal funds distributed by the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
As part of that program, since 2016, roughly $63 million in federal funds have passed through Texas to nonprofit organizations, including $55 million to churches and synagogues, and a smaller portion went to mosques, according to Abbott’s office.
RELATED: Secret Sharia ‘courts’ in Texas may be quietly overriding state law — Abbott calls for investigation
Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images
The governor’s office contended that organization-vetting for this DHS and FEMA grant program is performed by these federal agencies, not by the state.
Sam Westrop, the director of Islamist Watch and the author of the Middle East Forum report, disputed this claim, arguing that the state was responsible for screening these grant applications and had the authority to exclude applicants.
Westrop told Blaze News that “only a small number” of the $13 million came from the DHS’ Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
“However, many of the grants we identified, while not all from DHS, were in fact paid for from federal funds; and are thus subawards,” Westrop stated. “But by serving as the primary grantee, the Texas state government is required by the federal government to vet and assess risk. Subawards are discretionary, and the primary grantee may exclude a subawardee.”
“So these grants may be financed by federal dollars, but the monies are distributed through and at the discretion of the Texas state government, much by the governor’s office itself,” Westrop added.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program seeks to provide financial support to nonprofit organizations that are considered “high risk” of a terrorist attack. These nonprofits can include places of worship, educational facilities, and medical facilities, among other 501(c)(3) organizations. The funds are intended to support security enhancements, such as installing cameras, alarms, and fences. The grant can also be used toward security planning and training, as well as cybersecurity.
RELATED: No Sharia law in Texas: Abbott draws a hard line against radical Islam
Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman for The Washington Post via Getty Images
According to FEMA, the State Administrative Agency in each state is “the only eligible applicant” for this grant and “responsible for handling the federal award.” Therefore, churches and other places of worship seeking funds through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program are “subapplicants that must apply through the SAA in the state or territory where the applying facility is physically located.” The nonprofits cannot apply directly to FEMA.
The applications are first “scored by the SAA in coordination with its state.” Then the SAA submits “a prioritized list of [investment justifications] with all scores to FEMA.”
FEMA notes that a facility’s local SAA may have its own requirements to apply for the grant. Texas’ SAA contact is the Homeland Security Grants Division under the Texas Office of the Governor.
These now-archived grant opportunities from Texas’ eGrants website state that the “Office of the Governor will screen all applications to ensure that they meet the requirements included in the funding announcement.” However, it notes that FEMA “makes final funding decisions.”
While it remains disputed whether Texas could have blocked these grants from going to alleged Islamist organizations, FEMA has made it clear that the DHS, under Secretary Kristi Noem, has significantly increased the vetting at the federal level.
“Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, FEMA conducted a critical evaluation of all grant programs and recipients to root out waste, fraud, and abuse and deliver accountability for the American taxpayer,” a FEMA spokesperson told Blaze News. “For Fiscal Year 2025 grant awards, DHS and FEMA worked together to vet grant recipients and ensure that every dollar spent strengthens the nation’s resilience.”
“Unlike the previous administration, recipients of grants will no longer be permitted to use federal funds to house illegal immigrants at luxury hotels, fund climate change pet projects, or empower radical organizations with unseemly ties that don’t serve the interest of the American people,” the spokesperson added.
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Texas and Trump team take down over 30 illegal alien truck drivers in 1 day — California licenses BUSTED
With increased national focus on the trucking industry, federal and state authorities are stepping up efforts to crack down on illegal truck drivers to address concerns about road safety and national security.
A one-day operation last week in Texas led to the apprehension of 31 illegal alien truck drivers, according to Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s office.
‘When illegal immigrants break the law and illegally drive on our roads, they endanger the lives of countless Texans and Americans.’
The joint commercial vehicle enforcement operation on November 11 in Wheeler County along I-40 involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Texas Department of Public Safety, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the governor’s office reported on Wednesday.
Law enforcement officers inspected 105 vehicles as part of an effort to identify suspicious commercial driver’s licenses. DPS troopers referred 31 drivers to ICE after they were unable to verify their lawful presence in the U.S., despite presenting CDLs.
“It was determined that all 31 individuals were in the country illegally,” the governor’s office reported, noting that most of the licenses were issued by California, with none issued in Texas.
“Millions of Texans drive on our highways, roads, and streets every day,” Abbott stated. “When illegal immigrants break the law and illegally drive on our roads, they endanger the lives of countless Texans and Americans.”
Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images
“This joint state and federal operation along one of the nation’s longest transcontinental highways removed illegal drivers and unsafe vehicles from Texas roads,” Abbott continued. “While liberal states like California issue licenses to illegal immigrants and risk the lives of Americans, Texas will work with our federal partners to maintain safe roads and apprehend illegal immigrants to protect our communities.”
Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has similarly launched efforts to remove illegal immigrant truckers from the roads.
RELATED: Oklahoma ICE sting busts 34 illegal alien truck drivers, others with rap sheets
Photo by George Rose/Getty Images
He provided an update in early November about Operation Guardian, which has also conducted enforcement along the I-40 corridor, noting that it has already resulted in the arrest of over 100 illegal alien truck drivers.
“For the second time in just the past month, the state of Oklahoma and ICE have banded together to bolster public safety along Oklahoma’s highways, identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who are in the country illegally and have been recklessly issued a commercial driver’s license by states like California, Illinois, and New Jersey,” said Marcos Charles, the executive associate director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. “Many of the illegal aliens arrested behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound tractor trailer can’t even read basic English, endangering everyone they encounter on the roads.”
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Secret Sharia ‘courts’ in Texas may be quietly overriding state law — Abbott calls for investigation
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) calls for an investigation into “certain entities” that may be defying state and federal laws to push Islamic codes, according to a statement first obtained by “The Glenn Beck Program.”
Abbott issued a proclamation on Tuesday that designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations. As a result of this declaration, individuals who promote or aid their criminal activities could face heightened penalties, and the groups’ affiliates are banned from acquiring land in Texas.
CAIR condemned Abbott’s action, calling it “defamatory and lawless,” in a statement emailed to Blaze News.
‘The Constitution’s religious protections provide no authority for religious courts to skirt state and federal laws simply by donning robes and pronouncing positions inconsistent with western civilization.’
On Wednesday, Abbott continued his efforts to prevent Sharia law from taking hold in Texas.
“It has come to my attention that certain entities in Texas — including in Collin and Dallas Counties — may be masquerading as legal ‘courts’ staffed with ‘judges’ issuing orders that purportedly carry the authority to bind individuals to Islamic codes, thereby pre-empting state and federal laws,” Abbott said in a statement provided to Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck.
“The Constitution’s religious protections provide no authority for religious courts to skirt state and federal laws simply by donning robes and pronouncing positions inconsistent with western civilization,” the statement continued. “I urge you, therefore, to investigate efforts by entities purporting to illegally enforce Sharia law in Texas. Legal disputes in Texas must be decided based on American law rooted in the fundamental principles of American due process, not according to Sharia law dispensed in modern day star chambers.”
RELATED: No Sharia law in Texas: Abbott draws a hard line against radical Islam
Photo by Mohammed Elshamy/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Beck noted that Abbott’s investigation request would require cooperation between the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Attorney General’s Office.
“The letter is going to be sent out later today. But this is an exclusive report from the governor. I applaud Governor Abbott for actually doing this,” Beck said.
RELATED: Islamic EPIC City’s stealth rebrand is scarier than you think
KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP via Getty Images
Abbott sent the letter to North Texas District Attorneys and Sheriffs, the Attorney General of Texas, and the Texas DPS.
“At the outset, the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedom provides wide berth for religious institutions to order their own affairs under the ‘church autonomy’ doctrine,” the letter read. “It is different entirely, however, for religious groups to set up courts purporting to replace actual courts of law to evade neutral and generally applicable laws.”
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