Texas Foreign Land Ban Upheld as Court Rejects Chinese Nationals’ Challenge
A US appeals court has upheld Texas’ controversial law banning land purchases by foreign adversaries. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a challenge from two Chinese nationals who claimed the law was discriminatory. The ruling keeps in place restrictions on buyers from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed SB 17 into law last year, blocking entities from countries deemed national security threats from buying property in the state. The ban covers agricultural, commercial, industrial and residential land, as well as mines, quarries and timber rights.
Two Chinese nationals, Peng Wang and Quinlin Li, filed a lawsuit to stop the law. Wang, a long-term resident on a student visa, argued it unfairly targeted him, while Li, a Chinese-American, claimed it violated constitutional protections. A district court dismissed their case, and the Fifth Circuit upheld that decision, ruling they lacked standing and faced no credible enforcement threat.
The appeals court found no evidence that Wang or Li had concrete plans to buy land or that the law would directly harm them. Judges noted that the plaintiffs failed to prove discrimination, as the restrictions apply broadly to all listed foreign adversaries.
Meanwhile, US visa policies have tightened under recent administrations. In 2025 alone, the State Department revoked over 8,000 student visas—more than double the previous year’s total. The Trump administration had previously reformed the F-1 visa system to crack down on overstayers and prevent misuse.
The Fifth Circuit’s decision leaves Texas’ land purchase ban in effect for now. The law continues to block buyers from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, while federal visa revocations remain at record levels. No further legal challenges have been announced by the plaintiffs.
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