❓WHAT HAPPENED: Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) signed into law a bill restricting property purchases by individuals or entities from adversarial nations.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and entities from nations like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Signed on June 20, effective September 1, in the state of Texas.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I signed SB 17 which is the toughest ban in America on preventing the sale of our land and other property to individuals and companies from China, Iran, North Korea & Russia.” – Gov. Greg Abbott
🎯IMPACT: The law aims to enhance national security by restricting property acquisitions from nations deemed adversarial.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed Senate Bill 17 into law, which prohibits individuals or entities from nations deemed adversarial from purchasing land or property in the state. The law, signed on June 20, will go into effect on September 1. It specifically targets nations identified by the U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) as posing national security risks in recent Annual Threat Assessments.
“I signed SB 17 which is the toughest ban in America on preventing the sale of our land and other property to individuals and companies from China, Iran, North Korea & Russia,” Gov. Abbott announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The legislation highlights China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea as examples of adversarial nations listed in the 2025 Annual Threat Assessment. Under the law, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is authorized to investigate potential violations, which would be classified as felonies.
The bill applies to various types of property, including agricultural land, groundwater, mines or quarries, commercial and industrial properties, and residential properties. However, exemptions are made for U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and individuals legally residing in the U.S. who intend to purchase a primary residence.
Criticism has come primarily from immigrant interest groups—including Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), which has lobbied against federal programs like the China Initiative cracking down on individuals tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—who have expressed concern over potential racial profiling. The group stated that the bill “creates an overly broad net that places innocent foreign nationals at risk of racial profiling.”
Meanwhile, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs (D) vetoed a similar bill earlier in June, arguing that the legislation lacked clear implementation criteria and opened the door to arbitrary enforcement. “Today, I vetoed Senate Bill 1109. Improvements to systems that protect our infrastructure are important. However, this legislation is ineffective at counter-espionage and does not directly protect our military assets,” Hobbs said.
Image via World Travel & Tourism Council.
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