State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, said she filed the new bill out of fear that Chinese entities are trying to buy up large swaths of land. She pointed to a Chinese energy company's attempt to purchase 130,000 acres for wind farms near Del Rio as alarming because it would be just 70 miles from Laughlin Air Force Base.
“This blatantly racist and xenophobic piece of legislation is exactly what we expect coming from what is anticipated to be the most conservative session we’ve seen in Texas,” Harris County Democratic Party Chair Odus Evbagharu said.David Bier, an immigration expert at the libertarian Cato Institute, said barring immigrants from purchasing property would run afoul of the Constitution.
The legislation follows moves in both Congress and other states like Florida where Gov. Ron DeSantis has called on that state’s Legislature to also ban nations including China from buying up land there. "It is dangerous, foolish, and shortsighted to allow the Chinese Communist Party and its proxies to purchase land near U.S. military installations," said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida.
Those bills died in December, but during a stop in Houston last fall, now-House Speaker Kevin McCarthyHe praised former President Donald Trump for shutting down the Chinese consulate in Houston in 2020 for spying and stealing trade secrets and technology from organizations such as the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, NASA and the energy sector.
Good Mr Abbott, keep those commies out
He needs to add some more to his list
Please add Saudia Arabia to the list
Probably because it's racist. But so is the GOP, so at least it's consistent.
There is the fear of espionage. (looks like getting caught to me)
Can Americans buy land in China?
Absolutely!
Not Chinese people who are American. Chinese national interests and Chinese corporations as they are all ran and owned by the Chinese communists government
It’s not racist if you can’t walk
My question, how did they cast their vote....Abbott should have never been re-elected.
It’s only xenophobic when republicans do it… see banning Chinese travel… we have seen this before and you are better than this headline
Racism has nothing to do with it. It is obtuse, or purposely inflammatory, to assert that.
Bout time Abbott has stood up for something!
Banking on xenophobia to make that money!
GregAbbott_TX 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
has nothing to do with espionage. It's a fact that foreign entities are buying up farmland (along with Bill Gates). i know investigative journalism is mostly dead, but ask yourself, 'why is that?'
They are the real people they ones that will help the people of Austin Texas together its needs a new government asap its prejudice and GOD wants it straight
I believe his human trafficking of migrants is illegal, too.
it’s not the just to fear of espionage. It’s about foreign governments influencing our local farms and food supply. You are such biased mouth pieces.
I have Encampments as the next Republican bill to be filed. Any bettors? txledge
Houston chronicle shills for communist and/or dictatorships around the world. Surprising!
Fear of people bashing him and exposing his corruption
Why is Abbott's 'fear' stated as fact, whereas Dems' racism accusations are treated as merely subjective? Alternative headline: 'Racism has Gov. Abbott vowing to ban Chinese businesses and citizens from buying land in Texas, a move he claims is due to fear of espionage.'
“Fear” is the only thing the GOP has to offer
They are banning all federal countries of concern (China, Iran, Russia, and Nk.) But I don't expect the chronicle to be forthcoming about that.
Totally agree with him on this and I have no respect for this hypocritical slug of a governor.
Of course fascists & villains will call it racist. Anything that these fascist nazis can't spin & have no legitimate response to is 'racist'. The word 'racist' has been so diluted by these white-guilt fascists liberals that it no longer has any meaning. Everything is racist.
Should include Apartheid Israel, GregAbbott_TX!
I despise Abbott but this is not racist. But his big money donors will never allow it. This is just the 758th instance of Abbott telling b.s. that his base wants to hear but he has no intention of actually doing it.
We the American citizens taxpayers has to stop this foolish this madness everything is racism why can it be China is communist and Governor Abbott is protecting the citizens in Texas he is doing his job it more like common sense this sounds like woke these bullies will disappear.
Democrats call everything racist. If everything is racist, nothing is racist. China is a country, not a race. China is buying up large amounts of American farmland. Are the Dems protecting America or China? A: China Dems are bought & sold by the CCP.
Racist much 🤨
The man is racist. He is so scared of this younger generation because he knows they will eventually get him out.
Can you clarify whether this is only a ban of land purchase? Or house purchase as well?
Try naming something democrats don't think is racist...
Yeah. That's obvious. Each and every thing in/of/from Commie-Imitation-Asian China is the possessed information of the The Party. Truth is: commies do not deserve to own property; they do not make private property. Secured private property = Tax Dollars having buying power.
99.99% Chinese in Texas are using WeChat to communicate. And they are saying they will vote for democratic party, they want to Texas turns to Chinalike state. I just curious, do you really care for Texas or just playing politics.
Texas invests over $9 billion in China despite 'hostile nation' rhetoric from ...
Good