A surprising twist emerged during the July 24th meeting of the Texas House Committee on Securing Texas from Hostile Foreign Organizations. Although the committee primarily invited industry insiders—realtors, title companies, lawyers, home builders, bankers, and lobbyists—to testify, the public was encouraged to leave formal comments. Notably, a significant portion of these comments called for Texas to leave the union.

Over a third of the public comments emphasized that the most hostile foreign organization to Texans and their interests is not a foreign government but the U.S. Federal Government. These comments highlighted the belief that federal overreach and regulation threaten Texas’ sovereignty and prosperity more than foreign land ownership. A recurring theme was:

“The US Federal Government poses a significant threat to Texas’ sovereignty and prosperity through its overreaching policies and regulations. The only viable solution to protect Texas from further harm is to pursue independence through TEXIT. I urge the committee to recognize this threat and support measures that secure Texas’ future as an independent state.”

Public comments on whether the legislature should prevent “hostile foreign organizations” from owning property in Texas, particularly from China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia, were mixed.

The narrative from these comments reflects a broader sentiment among some Texans: the belief that federal government actions, rather than foreign land ownership, are the primary threat to Texas’ security and independence. They argue that excessive regulations and bureaucratic control from the federal government are more detrimental to Texas than foreign property ownership.

The Texas legislative committee may focus on foreign threats, but many Texans are more concerned about domestic overreach. For them, the real “hostile foreign entity” is the federal government.