The cost of inaction

A Dallas Fed working paper estimates that unauthorized immigrant worker flows accounted for roughly 30% of house-price growth and 20% of rent growth in the average U.S. metropolitan market during the immigration boom from March 2021 to March 2024.

Anthony Holm breaks down what those findings mean for families trying to buy a starter home or pay the rent — then follows the same question through Texas politics: What happens when leaders announce a policy but fail to enforce it?

This week on Politics with the Big Dogs:

• A $60,000 Texas Tech marketing web developer position raises questions about the reach of Gov. Greg Abbott’s H-1B freeze
• John Cornyn signals he may skip the Republican Party’s first national midterm convention in Dallas
• The National Border Patrol Council endorses Ken Paxton
• Texas officials respond to reports that border hospitals marketed maternity packages in Mexico
• Anthony credits Big Dogs listeners for helping force government action
• A Dallas Fed working paper connects unauthorized immigration to rising home prices and rents
• The constitutional line between a president’s power to repel an attack and Congress’ power to take the nation to war
• What Madison, Gerry, Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson and Buchanan said about presidential war powers

CONTEXT ON THE TEXAS TECH FILING

Current Revolt reported that the Texas Tech notice may concern an extension for an employee who is already working at the university, not a new H-1B petition. Abbott’s directive freezes new petitions unless the Texas Workforce Commission grants written permission. It does not expressly freeze renewals.

That means the filing has not been proved to violate the governor’s order. It does, however, raise a larger question: How much did the freeze change if existing H-1B sponsorships can continue?

SOURCES

Dallas Fed working paper:
https://www.dallasfed.org/research/papers/2026/wp2607

Current Revolt’s Texas Tech reporting:
https://www.currentrevolt.com/p/did-texas-tech-violate-abbotts-h

Gov. Greg Abbott’s H-1B directive:
https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/H-1B_Visa_Program_Letter_1.27.2026_State_Agency_Heads_FINAL_.pdf

U.S. Department of Labor H-1B recruitment guidance:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/62o-h1b-recruitment

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