Immigrant Heritage Month 2026: How Immigration Built Texas — and Why It Still Matters
June is National Immigrant Heritage Month — a time to celebrate the contributions that immigrants have made to the fabric of American life since the nation’s founding. In Texas, this heritage runs especially deep. From the Spanish missionaries who established San Antonio in 1718, to the German settlers of the Hill Country, to the generations of Mexican families whose labor built the ranches, railroads, and cities of the Southwest, Texas has always been a place where immigrants come to work, build, and belong.
At the Lozano Law Firm, we live this heritage every day. Our founder, Attorney Alfredo Lozano, studied at ITESM (Tecnológico de Monterrey) in Mexico, is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and is now a Board Certified Immigration Attorney serving families across San Antonio, Eagle Pass, and San Angelo. His personal journey — from student in Monterrey to Marine to attorney — reflects the immigrant experience that has defined Texas for centuries.
This Immigrant Heritage Month, we want to honor that legacy by sharing the story of immigration in Texas, the economic impact immigrants continue to have on our communities, and the paths that today’s immigrants are following to build their own futures here.
A Brief History of Immigration in Texas
Texas has been a destination for immigrants since long before it was a state. The region’s indigenous peoples were joined by Spanish colonizers in the 16th century, establishing missions and presidios that would become the cities of San Antonio, El Paso, and Goliad. In the 1830s and 1840s, German immigrants settled the Texas Hill Country, founding towns like New Braunfels, Fredericksburg, and Boerne that retain their cultural character to this day.
After the Mexican-American War and the establishment of the U.S.-Mexico border in 1848, the border region developed into one of the most dynamic cultural and economic corridors in North America. Communities like Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras, Laredo-Nuevo Laredo, and El Paso-Ciudad Juárez became binational cities where families, businesses, and cultures flowed across the river in both directions.
The 20th century brought waves of immigration from Mexico, driven by revolution, economic opportunity, and the Bracero Program (1942-1964) that brought millions of agricultural workers to Texas farms and ranches. Vietnamese refugees arrived after 1975, establishing thriving communities in Houston and across the Gulf Coast. More recently, immigrants from Central America, India, China, Nigeria, and dozens of other countries have added to Texas’s extraordinary diversity.
Immigrants in the Texas Economy Today
The economic contributions of immigrants to Texas are staggering. Texas is home to approximately 4.9 million foreign-born residents, representing about 17% of the state’s population. Immigrants and their U.S.-born children together account for roughly one-third of the state’s workforce.
In San Antonio, immigrants make up a significant portion of the workforce in healthcare, hospitality, construction, food service, and technology. The city’s 64% Hispanic population reflects generations of Mexican and Latin American immigration that has shaped every aspect of local culture — from the food and music to the architecture and business community.
In Eagle Pass, the cross-border economy depends on trade, logistics, and the daily flow of workers and families between Texas and Mexico. The Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras crossing processes billions of dollars in cross-border commerce annually, supporting businesses on both sides that employ immigrants with E-2 investor visas, TN professional visas, and other work authorizations.
In San Angelo, immigrants contribute to the agricultural, oil and gas, healthcare, and military sectors. Goodfellow Air Force Base — one of the city’s largest employers — includes service members from diverse backgrounds, many of whom have immigrant family members navigating the immigration system.
Immigrant Entrepreneurs and Business Owners
Immigrants start businesses at higher rates than native-born Americans. In Texas, immigrant-owned businesses generate billions of dollars in annual revenue and employ hundreds of thousands of workers. From restaurants and construction companies to tech startups and medical practices, immigrant entrepreneurs are creating jobs and economic growth across the state.
The business immigration pathways that support entrepreneurship — E-2 investor visas, L-1A intracompany transfers, EB-5 investor green cards, and employer-sponsored green cards through PERM — are among the most complex areas of immigration law. But they are also among the most impactful, creating a multiplier effect as each immigrant-owned business creates jobs for U.S. workers.
The Human Stories Behind Immigration Law
Statistics tell part of the story, but immigration is ultimately about people. It is the mother in San Antonio who filed an I-130 petition to bring her daughter from Mexico and waited three years for an interview at Ciudad Juárez. It is the engineer in San Angelo who crossed the border on a TN visa to work at a technology company and is now building a life and a career. It is the military spouse at JBSA who received Parole in Place after years of living in fear, finally able to work and contribute openly.
Every immigration case the Lozano Law Firm handles represents a family’s dream — a dream of reunion, of safety, of opportunity, of building something lasting in a place they have chosen to call home. Immigrant Heritage Month is an opportunity to honor those dreams and the courage it takes to pursue them.
Challenges Facing Immigrants in 2026
This Immigrant Heritage Month comes during one of the most challenging periods for immigrants in recent memory. The expanded travel ban affects nationals of 39 countries. The USCIS backlog exceeds 11 million cases. Worksite enforcement and deportation operations have intensified. DACA faces existential legal threats. And the public discourse around immigration too often reduces complex human stories to political talking points.
In this environment, access to competent, compassionate legal counsel is more important than ever. Immigrants who understand their rights, follow the proper legal pathways, and work with experienced attorneys are far better positioned to navigate the system successfully — regardless of the political climate.
How the Lozano Law Firm Serves Texas Immigrant Communities
The Lozano Law Firm handles the full spectrum of family immigration and business immigration services: I-130 family petitions, adjustment of status, consular processing, K-1 fiancé visas, naturalization, E-2 investor visas, TN professional visas, H-1B specialty worker visas, PERM labor certification, military immigration, VAWA protections, and Mexican dual citizenship.
Attorney Alfredo Lozano is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. A member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association who studied at ITESM, Attorney Lozano combines deep legal expertise with genuine understanding of the immigrant experience.
Celebrating Heritage, Building Futures
This June, as we celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month, the Lozano Law Firm reaffirms our commitment to the families and businesses that make Texas communities vibrant, productive, and strong. Whether your immigration journey began decades ago or is just starting, whether your family has been in Texas for generations or arrived last year — your story is part of the Texas story.
With offices in San Antonio, Eagle Pass, and San Angelo, the Lozano Law Firm is here to help you write the next chapter. Schedule a consultation today and let us put our expertise to work for your family.
