In more great news for Americans who want to see their nation’s land protected from exploitation by foreigners who don’t have our best interests at heart, the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has green-lit Florida’s 2023 alien lands law, which banned, amongst other groups, People’s Republic of China nationals from buying land in the state.
For reference, the law at issue, Senate Bill 264, was passed and made effective in July of 2023. The statute prohibits the direct or indirect ownership of any interest in agricultural land by a foreign principal, and any interest in real property located near a military installation or critical infrastructure by a foreign principal.
Those foreign principles are defined by the law as individuals or entities from the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro, or the Syrian Arab Republic.
Further, in addition to those somewhat small and specific restrictions, the law prohibits the ownership, whether direct or indirect, of any real estate interest by a foreign principal of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), with only a few, very minor, exceptions.
As could be expected, the bill was quickly challenged, with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) representing four Chinese citizens who challenged it. The 11th Circuit shot down their challenge in November of 2025, thus greenlighting Florida’s attempts to keep its lands secure and giving other states the green light to move forward with similar bills.
Celebrating the “big win” in a post on X, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said, “Today we won big at the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, defending our law preventing ownership of Florida land by the Chinese Communist Party. Thanks to Senior Deputy Solicitor General Forrester and Assistant Solicitor General Schenck for securing a huge win for FL!”
Preventing CCP influence in America, which is the basis of the Florida land law, is also something that Florida Senator Rick Scott (R) has focused on. For example, pushing a bill called the CCP Influence Act alongside Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Sen. Scott said, “The United States is facing threats from adversaries around the world who want to destroy our way of life. Xi and the Communist Chinese Party have blatantly spied on the United States, stolen our research and intellectual data, and attempted to infiltrate the inner workings of government to the regime’s interests.”
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Continuing, he skewered the Biden Administration for its lax stance on CCP influence in America, saying, “Under the Biden administration, Cuban officials were given the red-carpet treatment at Miami International Airport and given a literal tour of airport security operations, while the dictatorship proudly harbors terrorists and hosts a Chinese spy base 90 miles from Florida’s shore.”
Concluding, he said, “For years, these regimes have been allowed to exploit America, our government, and our research while denying Americans the same privilege in their nations. We cannot continue putting America’s national security at risk by allowing regimes unlimited access to spy on U.S. soil. President Trump is taking significant action to stand against our adversaries and put America and our national security first, and Congress must do the same by passing my CCP Influence Act.”
Watch Secretary Rollins comment on the CCP-connected individuals and entities buying land issue here: