Texas pushes non-citizens ban on buying land

Austin (AFP) — A renewed push in Texas to ban Chinese and other non-citizens from purchasing property is almost across the finish line, prompting protests by opponents who claim the measure will stoke discrimination against minorities.

The legislation previously failed in 2023, but has gained new steam in the Republican-led state since President Donald Trump’s return to office on a stark anti-immigration and anti-China agenda.

The Texas bill, SB 17, bans most non-citizens from countries deemed by the United States to be national security threats from purchasing any property.

That list currently includes China, Iran, North Korea and Russia, but a recent amendment allows Governor Greg Abbott — a close Trump ally — the freedom to add other countries.

A sponsor of the bill, State Representative Cole Hefner, claimed the push “is about securing Texas land and natural resources... (from) adversarial nations and oppressive regimes that wish to do us harm.”

Hundreds of protesters on Saturday took to the streets in the capital Austin, carrying posters reading “stop the hate” and “housing is a human right.”

“If you make a law targeting certain people just because of their origin, their country where they come from, that’s racist. This is a racist bill,” said Alice Yi, co-founder of Asian Texans for Justice.