Republican State Bans Land Ownership

Proposed legislation in Florida that would prohibit Chinese nationals from owning land or property in the state, unless they hold U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, has sparked a controversy.

According to Newsweek, Governor Ron DeSantis and some legislators from both the Republican and Democratic parties are supporting the priority bill, citing the need for national security. However, critics contend that it is discriminatory and could potentially violate the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

Recent polling shows that among Republican voters, Governor Ron DeSantis is the second most popular choice for the party’s 2024 presidential nominee, after former President Donald Trump. However, Governor DeSantis has not yet announced his candidacy. Therefore, any controversy involving him could potentially have national political ramifications, either weakening his position among Republicans or bolstering his image as an “anti-woke” candidate.

The legislation, named “SB 264: Interests of Foreign Countries,” received a 95-17 approval from the Florida House this week and will return to the Senate, which unanimously voted for a previous version. In addition to Chinese nationals being banned from owning land or property in the state, the bill also prohibits citizens of Russia, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, and Syria from purchasing land within one mile of a military base or a critical infrastructure. However, only Chinese nationals are subject to a statewide ban.

Congress has been increasingly concerned about the rise of Chinese ownership of U.S. agricultural land, including the recent purchase of farmland near an airbase in North Dakota in 2022. As a result, bills have been introduced at both the state and national levels to limit the purchase of farmland by countries considered hostile to the United States.

Critics of the proposed bill in Florida are concerned that it may run afoul of the 1968 Fair Housing Act, a significant piece of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination in the sale of housing based on factors such as race, national origin, religion, or sex.

On Saturday, a group of dozens of Chinese Americans staged a protest against the bill outside the Florida Capitol, holding up signs that read “Equality For All” and “No anti-Asian Bill.”