Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said Tuesday he expects courts to uphold the constitutionality of a new state law that restricts the sale of certain properties to people and businesses linked to the Chinese government.
Simpson told reporters the lawsuit was anticipated. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a group of Chinese citizens who live in Florida and a real-estate brokerage firm.
“We expected our foreign enemies to come in and say that this was not constitutional,” Simpson said. “This has nothing to do with Asian Americans. Nothing. If you’re an American, you have all the ability you want to buy all the land that you want or you can afford. This has to do with state-owned property here in the state of Florida. I think it’s critical that this law stays in effect, and I believe the courts will see it that way.”
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The law (SB 264), which was signed this month by Gov. Ron DeSantis and will take effect July 1, includes prohibiting Chinese citizens, along with foreign nationals from Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria, from buying farmland or any property within 10 miles of a military installation or “critical infrastructure,” such as a seaport or airport.
Also, Chinese people who do not have U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status will be prohibited from owning Florida property.
Chinese people with visas can purchase one home but must fill out a new state registration form. Simpson said the Chinese government is strategically buying assets around the world and taking advantage of opportunities to secure natural resources.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in the federal Northern District of Florida.
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“The law stigmatizes them (plaintiffs) and their communities, and casts a cloud of suspicion over anyone of Chinese descent who seeks to buy property in Florida,” plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote. The attorneys also argued that the registration requirement is “burdensome, discriminatory and stigmatizing.”
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