Texas bill may prevent some H-1Bs from owning property

Indians not affected by bill targeting citizens of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia

Every time a new bill or a Congressional suggestion comes up regarding immigration in America, the desis go on an immediate alert. After all, with a whopping 800,000 Indian nationals in line for employment-based green cards, according to official USCIS data, any new immigration ruling is likely to affect Indians in America.

However, for once the Indian H-1B community is heaving a sigh of relief at not being affected in any way by a potential new bill before the Texas state legislature. If passed, it can prevent some H-1B holders and immigrants from owning any property in the state. Texas Governor Greg Abott supports the bill barring citizens from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from purchasing land in Texas.

Read: 2024 H-1B registration opens on March 1 (January 28, 2023)

This new ruling of preventing individuals from certain countries from owning a residential home or investing in a business can adversely affect Texas’ reputation as a warm, tax-free and preferred state for immigrants. However, for once it does not affect the Indian American population in the state.

Sugarland, Texas based, Mini Mehta says, “For once, Indians are not negatively impacted by this ruling. Otherwise, often being on H-1B one feels that every single immigration law is bound to be against us in some way.”

Akash Malhotra, another Texan who works in Information Security says, “If this were to include Indians, I swear we would have thought that the Almighty himself is lobbying against us to be in America.”

“However, on a serious note, while we are not celebrating anyone who may be impacted by this rule, it does give us some relief that we don’t have another worrisome bill, the passage or not of which we have to now keep a tab on.”

With Indian Americans becoming the fastest growing population in Texas, today The Lone Star State, boasts of the second largest number of Indian Americans in the country.

According to the 2020 US Census Bureau, Indians make up 434,221 or 1.5% of the state’s population. While this may not seem like a large percentage, in terms of the fastest growing minority in the state, the presence of Indians in Texas cannot be ignored.

Read: Texas bill: Many immigrants, H-1B visa holders can’t buy property (February 1, 2023)

While most Indians remain unaffected by the developments of this possible new bill, some warn that any arbitrary new rulings that may affect a community could pose a potential threat for other minorities too.

Some immigration groups targeted at Indians, are advising members to keep a keen watch to ensure that the community is fully aware of any new rules and developments in the immigration segment.