In Texas, a law seeks to prohibit Chinese, Iranians, Russians or North Koreans from buying property

First modification: 01/26/2023 – 10:48

With Thomas Harms, RFI correspondent in Houston

Kevin Yu and his wife, Claire, have lived in the United States for 15 years, but this new law may force them to leave Texas: “They tell us that we are not part of the American dream, that this is not our dream. It is really hurtful,” he says Yu. “People have to understand that we don’t want to hurt them. We left our country and we want to be Americans,” he adds.

curb foreign influence

Until they become US citizens, which takes years, nationals of China, North Korea, Iran and Russia who have sometimes fled persecution will not be able to own their homes or businesses. Introduced in November by Lois Kolkhorst, a Republican senator from Brenham, the bill would bar Chinese, Iranian, North Korean and Russian citizens, governments and entities from buying land in Texas, which she and other Republicans say would help curb foreign influence. in Texas.

Exclusion Laws

Niloufar Hafzi was born in the United States, but has Iranian nationality. “I shouldn’t have to choose between being able to visit my family in Iran, and thus having that citizenship, and having property rights in the United States,” he says.

For advocates of the law, it’s a healthy measure of protection against anti-American totalitarian regimes: “We have to protect our country, and that’s what this law does, because these people don’t want the countries they’ve taken from.” fled have a foothold in the United States,” says Bobby Eberle, chairman of the Republican Party in Fort Bend, a predominantly Asian district south of Houston.

Bad memories

But for those who oppose the bill, it is reminiscent of the anti-China laws of the 19th century and the anti-Japanese laws of World War II. Back then, elected officials did not distinguish between a country and the people fleeing it.