"Chinese citizens are outraged: Florida property restrictions spark accusations of espionage treatment"
That was quite a shocker for me, it's just about property ownership. Bian, an immigrant originally from Nanjing, China, expressed this sentiment. Once he discovered the circumstances, he wasn't interested anymore.
Bian is a 31-year-old software engineer who has resided in the US for a dozen years and holds an H-1B visa, enabling American companies to employ foreign workers. However, for nearly a year, Florida has made it a criminal offense for him, as well as other Chinese nationals without US green cards, to acquire land in Florida. This is due to Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, signing a law that established such restrictions.
Bian and residents of Florida explained to CNN that the regulations have generated apprehension and obscurity among ethnic Chinese individuals living in the state. Some people argue that the law has negatively impacted their businesses, while others suggest they might leave Florida altogether. Furthermore, the law highlights the growing tensions between the world's largest economies, with the US presidential election approaching.
Bian lately has been questioning his life in Florida, and he's not alone. Since Florida Senate Bill 264 was enacted on July 1, 2023, Chinese citizens without US permanent residency face potential felony charges and imprisonment if they purchase property in the state. Sellers and real estate agents can also be prosecuted under this legislation.
"We feel differentiated from everyone else due to this type of law," remarked Echo King, a U.S. citizen born in China and president of the Florida Asian American Justice Alliance. "We feel we're not welcomed."
Chinese citizens barred from buying property in Florida
SB 264 restricts citizens from Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and Syria from purchasing property within a 10-mile radius of any "military installation or critical infrastructure facility" in Florida. For Chinese citizens without the right to stay permanently in the US, the law takes things one step further, banning this group from acquiring any property in the state.
"Florida is taking action to counter the United States' main geopolitical danger — the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)," DeSantis asserted in a statement the previous year.
The law is currently fighting legal challenges, but other states are contemplating similar legislation.
"Florida has gone beyond what's reasonable to combat the alleged CCP influence," Clay Zhu, an attorney collaborating with the American Civil Liberties Union to sue the state, contended. "We believe this is racial, national origin, and visa status-based discrimination."
Zhu likened the law to historic discriminatory laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act. He argues for a clear distinction to be made between the CCP and Chinese citizens.
The law particularly prohibits the "purchase or acquisition of real property" by "anyone who is domiciled in the People's Republic of China and is not a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States." However, the term "domiciled" isn't fully defined in the language of the law.
Susan Li, a 47-year-old business owner in Orlando, Florida, who holds a green card, expressed feelings of discrimination when she learned of the bill. Li, in the same situation as Bian, was searching for a new home when the legislation was passed. Her family decided to halt their housing search due to worry about potential legal repercussions.
Fears of Chinese government spying
The controversial law comes during a period when the US-China relationship has become increasingly strained.
Last year, concerns of the Chinese government spying in the U.S. reached a boiling point following the discovery of a Chinese surveillance balloon over Montana and its eventual destruction by the U.S.
Aside from allegations that Chinese-owned apps such as TikTok are used for spying (which TikTok denies), US lawmakers have frequently warned that Chinese acquisitions of agricultural land pose a national security risk. According to the US Department of Agriculture, China owns 349,442 acres of agricultural and non-agricultural land in the U.S., representing less than 1% of all foreign-held land in the U.S.
"The Chinese Communist Party, a dangerous foreign adversary, should not own Virginia's farmland," Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin commented on social media last year. "That's common sense."
To Bian, accusations of spying are offensive.
"We're ordinary people. We don't discuss political issues," he remarked. "I believe 99.99% of people here just want to have a decent life."
Impact of SB 264
Teresa Jin, a mortgage lender in Florida, stated she no longer works with clients who are not permanent residents or citizens of the U.S., but the ambiguity surrounding the law's definition of "domiciled" has created uncertainty. Other lenders have agreed to move forward with deals she previously turned down due to concerns about legal consequences.
"The law has left us so perplexed," Jin remarked. "It definitely hurts business."
Zhu stated that some mortgage lenders and brokers in Florida have even started refusing to work with clients bearing Chinese passports — even if they are legal residents.
"People feel like they are being treated as spies or agents of the Chinese government," Zhu said. "It's incredibly unfair and un-American."
Jin, who is a citizen, plans to remain in Florida. However, others are weighing whether they might find a more comfortable living situation in a state without a law like SB 264.
Li mentioned her plans to depart Florida once her daughter finishes college. Bian expressed some optimism that the current law might be repealed, but if no progress is made within the next year or so, he's prepared to relocate back to California.
"I don't think California will ever enforce such a law."
Read also:
The property restrictions in Florida have impacted not only individuals but also businesses. Chinese entrepreneurs expressed concerns that the regulations could negatively affect their businesses in the state.
Bian, a software engineer, and other Chinese nationals living in Florida have been affected by the law, as it prevents them from acquiring land in the state, potentially impacting their businesses or future property investments.
