Media365
A viral post on X that comes with a purported audio has claimed that a restaurant in Frisco, Texas, is hiring only F-1 students and pays only in cash or Zelle. The claim came from Carlos Turcios, who claims to be a part-time staff member of the Texas State Guard and a member of the GOP executive committee of Tarrant County in Texas. Many other social media handles shared the same audio and the same claim calling for an end of ‘Indian invasion’ of Texas. Turcious claimed that the Texas Investigation Unit exposed the business for hiring only F-1 students. “What on earth is going on in Frisco, Texas? Stop the third-world invasion!!!” Turcious commented.
In the audio, a man called the restaurant number from an advertisement, which clearly mentioned that it is an Indian restaurant in Frisco, and they are hiring. The woman responding to the call asked the man about his location and background. The man said he is on a student visa and the woman asked him which college he is attending, as she confirmed that she has employees from U&T. The woman revealed the name of the restaurant as ‘Bollywood Pizza House’. The woman asked the caller to meet her in person and also enquired about when his course is ending. There is no official confirmation about the claim and the audio is not independently verified. But the claim went viral as ‘Texas takeover’ by Muslims and Indians has emerged as a key issue in the state politics. Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently announced a ban on H-1B hiring in state agencies and universities that come under his jurisdiction. Attorney General Ken Paxton started an investigation into three firms that hired H-1Bs in past, seeking details of these employees. While claims of H-1B abuses in Texas are not new, the crackdown began after Texas journalist Sara Gonzales visited official addresses of H-1B employers to find no office, no employee.
Can F-1 students work in restaurants?
F-1 students are allowed to work only at on-campus cafeteria for 20 hours per week when the school is in session and full-time during breaks. F-1 students can not work off-campus during their first academic year. After the first year, they can work only in areas related to their subject.
