Anti-Alien Land Laws

The Texas Legislature made an attempt to pass the alien land law Senate Bill 147 (SB 147) and similar bills like SB 711, SB 552, and HB 4736 in the 2023 Legislative Session. However, these efforts were thwarted thanks to grassroots organizing efforts by the AAPI community. Rise AAPI is closely monitoring any further movement on this issue and is committed to preventing its passage in any upcoming Legislative session.

Alien land laws like SB147 aim to curtail the property rights of individuals who are citizens of Iran, China, North Korea, or Russia, preventing them from purchasing or acquiring property within the state.

These bills are not in alignment with our society's core principles of equity and equality. SB 147, along with the other bills, encroached upon the fundamental rights of immigrants, including their ability to buy homes, nurture their businesses, and pursue higher education. Although these bills were presented under the pretext of addressing national security concerns, they ultimately targeted and harmed immigrant communities solely based on their national origins. Furthermore, SB 147 failed to provide protections for immigrants and visa holders from China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, while other bills restricted the rights of dual-citizens, refugees, and individuals from various parts of the world.

We urge our state lawmakers to concentrate their efforts on issues that genuinely concern Texans and refrain from passing legislation that erects additional barriers solely on the basis of a person's ancestry or country of origin. Such actions would violate federal law and disproportionately impact Asian American communities.