Texas combats Chinese influence campaigns with new unit

StateScoop reports that Texas' Department of Public Safety has established a new "hostile foreign adversaries unit" aimed at thwarting Chinese influence operations in the state under the recently signed law SB 2514.

Aside from the creation of the Chinese influence campaign-combating unit, SB 2514 also mandates stronger penalties for influence campaigns and the formation of a cybersecurity training program meant to bolster state government workers' awareness of potential foreign influence activities.

Such a law comes after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott moved to ban DeepSeek and other Chinese apps on government-issued devices earlier this year. Individuals assoicated with China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran have also been prohibited from obtaining real estate in the state. Other states, including Arizona, have also sought to pass anti-foreign influence bills in recent years.

"Foreign powers are squeezing and silencing those they oppose and dislike by running illegal police stations, harassing, stalking, spying and sometimes even physically assaulting American citizens and residents. This is absolutely unacceptable," said Arizona state Rep. Matt Gress, whose bill had failed to pass last year.