Critics blow up bill to ban some foreign-born citizens from buying land: ‘slippery slope’

For weeks, critics have spoken out against a bill that would bar citizens from certain countries, including China, from buying land in Texas. The MP behind the proposal has since attempted to clarify his position, but some detractors still denounce the bill as “dangerous” and “racist”.

Senate Bill 147 of State Senator Lois Colkhorst, a Republican of Branham, bans people, companies and government organizations from China, North Korea, Iran and Russia from buying land in Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott has already said he will sign it. if it reaches his table.

Supporters see the bill as a necessary step to guard against the alarming rise in foreign ownership in Texas. Not everyone sees it that way.

This proposal prompted a quick response from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, prompting Colkhorst to try to make amends. In a statement last month, she said the committee’s upcoming deputy would “make it absolutely clear that the bans do not apply to citizens of the United States and lawful permanent residents.”

Colkhorst insists the bill is intended to protect the state from tyrannical governments in the four countries, not to punish people who flee such regimes, but that hasn’t stopped outrage rising.

“Even with the changes that Kolkhorst says she’s willing to make, it’s not enough,” said Nabila Mansoor, executive director of Rise AAPI, a Texas-based progressive organization. “And it’s still racist. You highlight certain communities of people who are trying to live here legally and trying to live better for themselves.”

She also condemned the bill as “dangerous” and “xenophobic”.

Mansour believes that if SB 147 passes, it could become a “slippery slope”. It would take a simple amendment to add other nationalities to the ban, she said, and it goes against the idea that Texas is a state that welcomes everyone.

Individuals in Texas can already sue those they believe assisted and abetted abortions in violation of state law, Mansour said. She wonders if Colkhorst’s proposal would then allow real estate agents to require potential buyers to show them proof of citizenship? Such unanswered questions related to the bill leave it open to potential abuse, she said.

SB 147 will also have a deterrent effect on foreign investment and send a message to immigrants from these countries that “we don’t trust you,” Mansour said.

“It really tells us that… those of us who are of color, none of us are safe,” she said. “It’s only a matter of time before some other world affair intervenes in our lives here in Texas.”

“This is irresponsible, this is reckless, and we need them to stop.” – Cynthia Choi, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate.

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Some state legislators also condemned the bill. Texas Rep. Jin-Woo, a China-born Democrat from Houston, told reporters in late January that if the proposal had been law in the 1980s, “it wouldn’t be here today.”

But one of Wu’s Republican colleagues sees it a little differently.

Richmond State Representative Jaycee Jetton, a Korean-American, acknowledged that the bill as it stands is “alarming.” However, he stressed that Kolkhorst intended to clarify the citizenship section and said he did not think she meant any harm.

Jetton said he understands why critics are concerned. His own father-in-law “made a lot of effort to escape from China.

“It was a long journey. And during this journey, we want people to start working and start enjoying the American dream,” he said. “And so I understand the history of many Asian immigrants coming here to the United States and their intentions, and we want them to feel welcome.”

Jetton said the bill was “grossly unconstitutional” as it is now written, but “that is not the desired intention.” He added that Colkhorst “can’t change the bill until it’s before committee and she can’t provide a replacement for the committee and so she’s a bit stuck.”

Cynthia Choi, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, said such a ban on land ownership would have a “devastating effect on Chinese immigrants here” and prevent them from settling down with their families.

It also speaks to the broader stigma that Chinese people in the US have long faced and sends a message that “we don’t belong,” she said.

Choi said the AAPI community was considered a scapegoat for the coronavirus pandemic for almost three years, leading to an upsurge in racism and violence against Asian Americans. She added that when politicians and elected officials use their platform to stir up fear, it harms these communities.

“With our data, we see that while members of the community are going about their daily lives, they are verbally abused, they are told to return to China, they are accused, and this really mimics the rhetoric of elected officials who said we should be feared,” Choi said.

Even if Colkhorst’s bill doesn’t pass, it has already sparked fear among the AAPI people, she continued: “It’s irresponsible, it’s reckless, and we need them to stop.”