There’s an old saying that good fences make good neighbors — but what happens when your neighbor turns out to be a hostile foreign government? For years, adversarial nations have quietly bought up American farmland, homes, and even land near military bases. In what world does that make sense?
Thankfully, Texas just reminded the rest of the country that common sense isn’t extinct — at least not within state lines. Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 17 into law, which bans China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from purchasing land or property in the Lone Star State. It’s the political equivalent of hanging a giant “Not for Sale to Communists” sign at the state border.
“I signed SB 17 which is the toughest ban in America,” Abbott announced, not mincing words. And honestly, it’s about time.
This isn’t just about economic interests. It’s about national security. The Chinese Communist Party isn’t buying up Texas ranchland because they love the sunsets. They’re looking for strategic footholds — often suspiciously close to military installations — and Texas is done playing nice.
Under the new law, which takes effect September 1, everything from farmland to water rights and commercial real estate is off-limits to these foreign adversaries. Violations will now be treated as felonies, meaning Texas isn’t just wagging a finger — they’re ready to prosecute.
Michael Lucci of State Armor Action put it plainly: “The CCP is blatantly attempting to base espionage efforts, and potentially worse, right in our backyard.”
But while Texas takes action, other states seem content to keep the welcome mat out. In Arizona, Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a similar bill because it lacked “clear implementation criteria.” Translation: We’re going to pretend the problem doesn’t exist and hope nobody notices when the surveillance balloons come floating by.
To be fair, the Texas law isn’t draconian. It allows U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and people legally in the U.S. to buy homes. Short-term leases under a year? Still fine. What it doesn’t allow is letting adversarial regimes collect property deeds like Pokémon cards.
The bill is targeted and intentional, grounded in data from the U.S. intelligence community’s 2025 Annual Threat Assessment. These aren’t random countries — they’re the ones most likely to exploit U.S. soil for spying, sabotage, or worse.
And if recent headlines haven’t raised red flags, they should. Two Chinese nationals were arrested just this month trying to smuggle biological pathogens into the U.S. You read that right — not souvenir magnets or electronics. Pathogens.
By acting decisively, Texas has done more than pass a bill — it’s issued a challenge. If national security actually matters to your state, prove it. If protecting American land sounds like something worth doing, now’s the time.
Because when the land beneath your feet is being auctioned off to nations that want to see America weakened, it’s not just a real estate issue. It’s a national security emergency. Texas is leading the charge. The question is: who’s next?
