Green card holder? You still may be banned from buying property in the US

Business Standard

04-06-2025

Are you a green card holder living in Ohio—or planning to move there? You may soon face new restrictions on where you can own property. Lawmakers in the Republican-led state have introduced two Bills that would ban foreign nationals and some permanent residents from buying land near military and critical infrastructure zones.
House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 88 propose a 40-kilometre restriction zone around military bases, power stations, water treatment plants and gas pipelines. The move, backed by Republicans in the state legislature, is part of a broader effort seen across several US states to restrict land ownership by nationals from countries identified as 'foreign adversaries.'
These countries include China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela. The restriction would also apply to businesses linked to those countries and, in some cases, to individuals holding lawful permanent residency. The impact on Indian immigrants—Ohio's largest foreign-born group, numbering over 100,000—is currently unclear.
What about Green card holders already owning land?
Earlier drafts of the Senate Bill had required existing landowners from foreign adversary countries to sell their property within two years. That provision has now been dropped. Green card holders who already own property in restricted zones would not be forced to sell under the latest version.
'I strongly believe that Ohio's land should not be for sale to those who seek to destroy the American way of life,' said Senator Terry Johnson, who introduced Senate Bill 88.
He told local media that while his version closely mirrors the House Bill, it initially took a stricter line by requiring disposals. However, the Senate committee amended the Bill last week to remove that clause.
Ohio is not alone
As of June 4, several US states have passed or are considering laws restricting land ownership by nationals from countries identified as foreign adversaries by the US government. These include:
Florida: Since 2023, laws prohibit citizens from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria from owning agricultural land or property near military sites.
Texas: Senate Bill 17, passed in 2025, bans land purchases by individuals and entities from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.
Georgia: SB 420, enacted in 2024, restricts nonresident aliens from acquiring agricultural land or property within 10 miles of military bases.
Indiana: HB 1183, signed into law in 2024, blocks designated foreign adversaries from owning farmland or land near sensitive sites.
Louisiana: HB 238, also passed in 2024, prevents foreign adversaries or controlled entities from owning agricultural land.
North Dakota: Since July 2023, the state bans foreign adversaries and their entities from acquiring real estate.
Mississippi: SB 2519, enacted in 2024, bars nonresident aliens from majority ownership in agricultural land.
Nebraska: State laws prohibit foreign entities from holding land titles beyond five years.
Minnesota: Ownership of agricultural land is restricted unless held largely by US citizens or permanent residents.
Michigan: Nine Bills target foreign land ownership near military sites and farmland, particularly by China, Russia and Iran.
North Carolina: Proposed laws would block adversaries from buying farmland or property near military bases.
Illinois: HB 1162 and SB 48 would prevent certain foreign entities from acquiring agricultural land or property near critical infrastructure.
Kansas: New 2025 legislation restricts property purchases within 100 miles of military facilities by foreign adversaries.
Opposition builds against the Bills
Civil rights groups, academics and community members have raised concerns that the Bills are too broad and risk discriminating against immigrants. More than 230 people submitted written testimony against the proposals during a recent committee hearing.
'Imagine somebody who risked their life, escaped North Korea and ended up in Ohio,' Xu Lu, a US citizen and college professor from Findlay said at a press conference aired by WTOL 11, which provides news coverage of northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan and beyond. 'This Bill will tell them they do not belong here.'
Fourteen-year-old Melody Miao from Oxford testified that the Bill sends the message that some Americans will never be American enough. 'I grew up here, went to school here, learned the Pledge of Allegiance by heart, memorised the Bill of Rights, and watched fireworks every July 4,' she said.
'You are telling people they are not American enough, no matter how hard they try,' she added.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has warned that similar laws in other states, such as Florida, have already been put on hold pending legal challenges. Lawsuits are expected if Ohio proceeds.
'It is fundamentally wrong, it is profoundly unfair, and it is fuelled by racial animus,' said Gary Daniels, ACLU's chief lobbyist in Ohio in the press conference. 'I struggle to come up with a Bill that has so much hostility against race and nationality as this particular Bill.'
Hongmei Li of the Ohio Chinese American Council drew parallels with past discriminatory legislation in the US. 'These Bills represent a step backwards into the darker history of racism in America,' she said. 'It evokes the Chinese Exclusion Act and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.'
Neither House Bill 1 nor Senate Bill 88 has been scheduled for a final vote. If passed, the Secretary of State will be responsible for maintaining a list of banned entities and updating it twice a year.