Texas Bill: Immigrants, H-1B Visa Holders from China, Iran, N. KOrea/Russia can't buy property

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

A bill in the Texas state legislature would prohibit many immigrants and H-1B visa holders from China and three other countries from owning property in the state. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott supports the bill. The prospect of individuals being unable to buy a home or invest in a business based on their country of origin raises legal issues and could damage the state’s reputation.

On January 15, 2023, Governor Abbott endorsed the bill, which is sponsored by Republican State Senator Lois Kolkhorst. In a tweet, Abbott said, “A bill is filed in Texas legislature to ban citizens, governments & entities of China, Iran, North Korea & Russia from purchasing land in Texas. I will sign it. This follows a law I signed banning those countries from threatening our infrastructure.”

The bill may be part of a Republican “primary” battle between Texas Gov. Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, which has included both men sending migrants from the border to cities with Democratic mayors. “While Kolkhorst’s bill targets only the four countries and is related to real estate, DeSantis took action against seven countries and issued far broader prohibitions,” according to the conservative publication Center Square. “Last September, DeSantis issued an executive order prohibiting government entities from procuring technology products and services from companies owned by, controlled by or domiciled in seven foreign countries of concern: China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Russia and Venezuela.”


Under the Texas bill, “Purchase of or acquisition of title to real property by certain foreign individuals or entities [would be] prohibited.” The bill would bar such purchases or acquisitions by “a governmental entity of China, Iran, North Korea or Russia; a company or other entity that is headquartered in China, Iran, North Korea or Russia…[or] an individual who is a citizen of China, Iran, North Korea or Russia.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2023/02/01/texas-bill-many-immigrants-h-1b-visa-holders-cant-own-property/

[raccoon]

1. Why include Russia? Trump is such good friends with them

That texas ought to make an exception.

[Samrob]

2. Too late. The property damage was done years ago by others than those.

Dutch, French, Japanese, Russian, Rumanian, Chinese. America was mostly bought, laundered, sold back in the late 80s and 90s

Precisely why housing is so unaffordable now. A sizeable chunk of the sellout and laundering with Russia and others was through Trump real estate businesses.