Florida law barring Chinese citizens from owning property in state blocked by US court

Federal panel rules ‘this prohibition blatantly violates the 14th Amendment’s protection against discrimination’ in blow to Governor Ron DeSantis

Statute’s language and statements by public officials showed law to be a ‘blanket ban against Chinese non-citizens’, says court

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks in Iowa in January. The former 2024 Republican presidential candidate previously said the law would help protect Americans from the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. Photo: AP

Published: 1:16am, 3 Feb 2024Updated: 6:30am, 3 Feb 2024

An American federal appeal court on Thursday suspended enforcement of a Florida law banning Chinese citizens from owning homes and land in the state.

The Atlanta-based 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals said the law, SB 264, which Florida enacted last year, specifically targets people of Chinese descent.

The court’s decision relied on statements made by Governor Ron DeSantis and other public officials in the state at the time the legislation was passed.

DeSantis described the law as a measure to “counteract the malignant influence of the Chinese Communist Party”. It bars non-citizens whose “domicile” is in China from owning property in Florida, regardless of location.

The law also prohibits certain foreign nationals from owning property near US airports like Miami International Airport in south Florida. Photo: AFP

The law also stipulates that most citizens of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria and Venezuela could not own property near US military installations and infrastructure such as power plants and airports. Violators were subject to prosecution.