Federal Appeals Court Upholds Florida Housing Law Targeting Chinese Immigrants
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has declined to block Florida's SB 264, a law that restricts many Chinese immigrants and nationals from six other countries from buying homes in the state. The decision means the law remains active while litigation continues.
Details of the Law and Court Decision
SB 264 prohibits individuals who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and who have their primary domicile in China, from purchasing property in Florida. There is a narrow exception for those holding non-tourist visas or asylum status—they may purchase a single residential property under two acres located at least five miles away from any military installation.
A similar but less strict law applies to immigrants from Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Syria.
Court's Reasoning
The court found that none of the plaintiffs had the legal standing to challenge the restrictions regarding property purchases. However, the restrictions do not impact certain Chinese immigrants who currently live in Florida and plan to stay indefinitely.
ACLU Statement
“All people, regardless of where they come from, should be free to buy homes and build lives in Florida without fear of discrimination,” said Ashley Gorski, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s National Security Project.
Summary
This ruling enables Florida’s restrictive and arguably unconstitutional law on Chinese homebuyers to remain in force, setting significant limits on property rights based on nationality and residency status.
Would you like a more formal or neutral tone for the summary?