AUSTIN, Texas — "Women, life, freedom" is the cry Iranian women have been making after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. She was arrested and beaten by the morality police for not wearing her hijab properly and died a few days later.
Her death sparked a movement demanding a regime change in Iran – and it's happening in the Lone Star State as well.
"With everything going on in Iran, their voices are not being heard. And so it's our responsibility as citizens and as Americans, and as well as Iranians, to be here to represent them," Iranian American Mojdeh Gharbi said.
As Iranians fight for women's rights, an end to human rights abuses and free and fair elections, Gharbi wants to be part of the discussion. She was one of the dozens of advocates at the Texas Capitol on Wednesday calling on lawmakers to take action.
On the federal level, the advocates support the MAHSA Act, which requires the president to impose sanctions on certain people and entities affiliated with Iran.
"We have an act that is really focused, versus just this blanket statement, which I think is really important," Gharbi said.
Here in Texas, they want to change Senate Bill 147. Right now, the bill would ban immigrants and companies from four countries, including Iran, from buying land in Texas. The group wants to make sure people who are not associated with the extremist Islamic Republic aren't punished.
"Many of the individuals that are here are here because of prosecutions, are here because they have to flee their countries. They're refugees," Gharbi said.
The author of the bill, Brenham Republican State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, said the legislation is a matter of national security. Still, these Texans are harnessing their power to advocate for voices that don't feel heard.
"I'm here to ask you to support women, life, freedom," 10-year-old Iranian American Denise Koneshloo said.
KVUE reached out to Kolkhorst' office and received the following statement:
"As I have traveled across my senate district, one of the top concerns for many Texans is national security and the growing ownership of Texas land by certain adversarial foreign entities, such as the nearly 140,000 acres near Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio that was purchased by a former officer of the Chinese army. Many Texans find this trend highly disturbing and a major red flag.
"This bill may prove even more significant in light of a Chinese spy balloon that traversed across the continental United States before being shot down by the US military just days ago. It is clear that national security concerns by everyday Texans continue to grow.
"Senate Bill 147 will preserve our cherished private property rights and constitutional freedoms. It does not prohibit foreign business investment in Texas because companies may still do business by leasing land and buildings; nor does it prevent any person from renting a home. Passing this law delivers the safeguards to ensure that Texas remains Texas.
"The legislation builds on SB 2116, which passed the Texas Legislature unanimously in 2021. That bill prohibits government entities from contracting with citizens or corporations owned by citizens from Russia, North Korea, China or Iran to build or service critical infrastructure in Texas because of national security. Mirroring that legislation, SB 147 also names the same four countries and prohibits them from future purchases of Texas lands.
"In the committee substitute, the bill will make crystal clear that the prohibitions do not apply to United States citizens and lawful permanent residents. This has always been about common-sense safeguards against Russian, North Korean, Chinese and Iranian authoritarian regimes, not those fleeing the tyranny of those governments who seek freedom in Texas."