Republican state Rep. Jared Patterson announced he plans to introduce legislation next session aimed at combating hostile foreign influence in Texas.
Patterson wrote in an Oct. 21 press release that he plans to introduce legislation during the upcoming session that would prevent foreign interests from exploiting elections and compromising the loyalty of public officials in the state.
His legislation would include prohibiting “campaign contributions connected to designated terrorist organizations and their agents, while protecting lawful political participation.”
“Texas has already taken decisive action to stop hostile foreign adversaries from owning property, but protecting our state doesn’t end at the property line,” Patterson said. “We cannot allow foreign interests to exploit our elections, compromise the loyalty of public officials, or manipulate our laws to gain a foothold in Texas. Our sovereignty is worth defending, and I intend to close every loophole that threatens it.”
Patterson pointed to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, as an example of an organization he says presents concerns. Gov. Greg Abbott designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations in November 2025.
Patterson said CAIR has encouraged its “employees and board members to make contributions to political campaigns,” raising concerns that foreign connections could influence Texas elections.
He also referenced recent political campaigns involving candidates who have claimed dual citizenship or have significant ties to other countries, which he said raises questions about potential conflicts of allegiance.
One candidate who has drawn attention over such claims is Abdul El-Sayed, a Democrat running for the Michigan Senate. The Washington Free Beacon reported in October that El-Sayed had previously said he held dual citizenship in the United States and Egypt. His campaign, however, has said he is not a dual citizen and that he was mistaken about his citizenship status.
Patterson’s proposed legislation has not yet been filed, and specific bill language will not be available until the legislation is formally introduced.
Bill prefiling for the 90th Texas Legislature begins Nov. 9, 2026, and the legislative session begins Jan. 12, 2027.
