National security or xenophobia? Texas restricts Chinese owning and renting property

Critics fear a new law in Texas will prove discriminatory - but officials say it is vital to combat "adversaries".

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Texas has long felt like home for him, as a naturalised US citizen born in China. But a recently passed state law is shaking his belief in his chosen homeland.

Texas Senate Bill 17 of 2025, also known as SB 17, will take effect on 1 September, restricting people and companies from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from purchasing and renting property.

Officials say the bill is to protect national security. But to people like Mr Yuan, it sends a discriminatory message - that people who look like him are not welcome in Texas.

"It is anti-Asian, anti-immigrant, and specifically against Chinese-Americans," said Texas Representative Gene Wu, a Democrat leading the fight against the bill.