* f/ HonorableRoy E.,Jackeon DistrictAttorney El Paso, Texas
Dear Sir: Opi+on No. O-3911 Re: Ownershipof land.within an incorporatedcity by a,*alien.
hk have YOW lettersof August 18th and Augmt 29th, 1941, submit- ting to us the followingquestion:
"Can a Syrianwho live6 in Juarez,Mexico,hold propertythat is within the 'citylimitsof El Paso?"
Ownershipof real e&ate in Texae by an alien is regulatedby Title 5, ArticlesX6-167, R.c.S. of Texas, 1925.
Subjectto the treatiesof the United States,Texas may determine whether or not an alien may acquireand hold land. At common law an alien may acquirereal propertyby act of the partiee. 3 Cor. Jur. Secundum,540, 544.
Article 166, R. S. 1925, providesthat with certainexceptionsno alien shall acquireany interestin real propertyIn Texae.
The materialportion of Article 167 which containsthe exceptions is as follows:
"This title shall not apply to any land now owned In this State bg aliens,not acquiredin violationof any law of this State, so long~asit is held by the presentowners;nor to lots or parcelsof land owned by aliens in any incorporatedtownor city of this State,nor to the followingclassesof aliens,who are, or who shallbecome bona fide Inhabitantsof this State, so long as they shall continueto be bona fide inhabitantsof this State:"
It is our opinionthat this articleestablishesthree separateex- ceptipnsto Article 166, which are:
(1) Land then owned by aliens at the passageof the act. Hon. Roy E. Jackson - Page 2 (O-3911)
(2) Lots or parcel6of land owned by aliens In any incorporated town or city.
(3) Certain classesof aliens. Ye have found no decisionsconstruingthe wordingof the secondex- ceptionin the above statute. Our searchhas includedTexas Dig. Vol. 2, Key Number6 5 through 13; Tex. Jur. Vol. 2, Aliens,Sets. 7, 8 and 9 pp. 681-687; Shepard'sTexas Citatorfor Article 167; and 7 Texas Law Review,607.
This is so because:
(1) The intentionof the Leglelaturecan be derivedfrom the grammarused in settingout the three exceptionswith equal dignity. Disregardingthe other exceptions,this sentenceis "thistitle shall not apply to lote or parcel8of land owned by aliens in any incorporated town or city of this State."
(2) The phrase "nor to lota or parcelsof land owned by aliens in my Incorporatedtown or city of this State" is Bur- plusageunless given the dignityof a separateexceptionto Ar- ticie 166.
The word "owned"is used in the Bense of "ownedor to be owned"a6 suggestedby you in your letter of August 29, 1941. Otherwise,it is surplus- age.
It is, therefore,our opinionthat Article 167 permitsan alien to acquireand hold land in any incorporatedcity or town without referenceto the other exceptionscontainedin Article 167.
Ue are not advieedof any treatiesaffectingthis situation,have made no search for same, and do not expressany opiniona8 to what effect, if any, treatiesmay have on the rightsof the partiee.
Yours very truly
APPROVEDSEP 13, 1941 ATTORNEYGENERALOFTEXAS
Id Grover Sellers By /s/Will R. Wilson FIRST ASSISIMRT Will R. Wilson ATTORNEYGENERAL Aesietant
APPROVED OPINION COMMITTEE BY /B/ BWB CHAIRMAN