Texas Moves to Ban Land Purchases by 'Hostile' Nations Including Iran, Russia; Abbott Vows to Sign Bill

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he'll soon sign what he calls the nation's "toughest ban" on land purchases by citizens and entities tied to governments deemed hostile. The bill, Senate Bill 17, targets individuals from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea who are not living in the U.S., barring them from buying land anywhere in Texas.

The legislation passed the Texas House last week after nearly six hours of heated debate, becoming one of the most controversial proposals of the session. Republican supporters framed it as a national security measure. "This bill is carefully crafted to ensure the rights of Texans and lawful permanent residents are not infringed," said Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mt. Pleasant), who laid out the measure on the House floor, per coverage from The Texan.

Democrats pushed back, raising civil rights concerns and warning of unintended consequences. Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston) challenged the bill repeatedly through procedural motions and was one of its most vocal critics. Others, like Rep. Mihaela Plesa (D-Dallas), warned the bill "carries dangerous unintended consequences," while Rep. Hubert Vo (D-Houston), a Vietnamese immigrant, said it risks putting immigrants "in the crossfire," The Texan reported.

Fifteen amendments were proposed. Among the most significant was one by Rep. Mitch Little (R-Lewisville) that capped lease durations to a single year for foreign nationals from the designated countries — down from the original 100 years.

Another amendment clarified the rationale for singling out the four nations, while yet another, from Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano), added language stating that the ban only applies to those not "lawfully present and residing in the United States" at the time of purchase. That addition drew criticism from former Texas GOP chair Matt Rinaldi, who called it a "huge loophole."

One of the more contentious changes came from Rep. Nate Schatzline (R-Fort Worth), whose amendment gives the governor power to expand the list of banned countries. Wu argued that provision was "dangerous." Lawmakers also adopted a proposal from Rep. Brent Money (R-Greenville) to include civil and criminal penalties for violations of the new restrictions.

The bill doesn't apply to legal residents or citizens of the U.S., but opponents argued that its language and political context could still fuel discrimination, especially toward Asian communities in Texas. Rep. Angie Chen Button (R-Garland), an immigrant from Taiwan, pushed back on that idea, saying national security and freedom "must be protected."

SB 17 ultimately passed in an 85-60 vote, with two Republicans not voting. It now heads to the governor's desk for final approval, which Abbott has guaranteed.