A renewed effort in Texas to block Chinese nationals and other non-citizens from buying land is nearing approval, sparking protests from those who warn the bill fuels racial discrimination.
After failing in 2023, the bill has gained momentum in the Republican-led legislature, driven by President Donald Trump’s hardline stance on immigration and China since his return to office.
Senate Bill 17 would ban most non-citizens from countries the U.S. labels as national security threats from purchasing property. The list currently includes China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. However, a recent amendment gives Governor Greg Abbott — a staunch Trump ally — the authority to add more countries at his discretion.
“This is about protecting Texas land and resources,” said State Representative Cole Hefner, a sponsor of the bill. He emphasized the need to guard against adversarial nations and oppressive regimes.
On Saturday, hundreds of protesters gathered in Austin with signs declaring “Stop the hate” and “Housing is a human right.”
“If you target people solely based on where they come from, that’s racism. This is a racist bill,” said Alice Yi, co-founder of Asian Texans for Justice.
“This is our country too,” added the 68-year-old.
According to 2023 U.S. Census data, Asian Americans make up about 6% of Texas’s population — approximately 1.7 million out of 31.3 million — and are the fastest-growing group in the state.
“Not everyone is a spy,” said Eileen Huang, 42, from the Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition.
“Many people fled their countries because they disagreed with the government.”
Texas House Democratic leader Gene Wu argued that the bill’s exemptions for lawful permanent residents don’t go far enough.
“You can’t become a green card holder or citizen if you don’t have a legal way to live here permanently,” he said.
Wu, who was born in China, warned that the bill could lead to blanket discrimination:
“People don’t know the difference between Asians — they just see an Asian face. This could mean widespread bias against all Asians.”
SB 17 passed the Texas House on Friday with several amendments and now heads back to the Senate.
Tensions between the U.S. and China have driven similar land ownership bans in other states. In 2021, Texas passed a law barring companies from countries like China from connecting to the state’s power grid — a move aimed at stopping Chinese businessman Sun Guangxin from developing a wind farm in Texas.
