Proposal May Ban Some Green Card Holders from Owning Land Throughout State
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Ohio state lawmakers are considering legislation that could prohibit some green card holders from certain countries and foreign nationals from owning land across large portions of the state.
Newsweek has reached out to the bill's sponsors for comment via email on Friday.
Why It Matters
The bill represents one of the broadest state-level efforts to restrict foreign investment in U.S. real estate, following in suit with Florida and Texas initiatives. For American universities, research centers, and businesses that rely on global talent, the legislation could have substantial consequences for staffing and investment.
Green card holders, legal permanent residents of the United States, have faced increasing uncertainty under President Donald Trump's administration and his crackdown on immigration, with reports of some being detained at airports or during immigration checks and others facing possible deportation.
What To Know
Introduced by Representatives Angela King and Roy Klopfenstein, House Bill 1, seeks to limit who can be a land owner in the Buckeye state.
Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens looks out from the Speaker's dais during a session of the Ohio House of Representatives in the Ohio Statehouse House Chamber on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.
Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens looks out from the Speaker's dais during a session of the Ohio House of Representatives in the Ohio Statehouse House Chamber on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
The bill's sponsors say it addresses national security threats, including espionage and cyberattacks, by prohibiting noncitizens from designated "foreign adversaries," including China, Russia, and Iran, among others, from owning land within 25 miles of "critical infrastructure."
The term is broadly used to describe a range of facilities, including power plants, transportation hubs and military installations. Under the measure's broad scope and strict distance limits, few areas in Ohio would remain open to such purchases.
The bill exempts American citizens or those with dual citizenship from the ban. The Senate counterpart bill notes that impacted individuals would have to sell and divest their property within two years.
Under the bills, county sheriffs would be responsible for enforcing the new restrictions. If the legislation passes, individuals subject to the prohibition would be required to sell restricted property within two years.
Ohio's legislation follows similar laws in Florida and Texas, where foreign adversary property bans have led to lawsuits and national debate. The state-level movement intensified after a 2022 case in North Dakota, when the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) declined to review a Chinese firm's land purchase, fueling state action.
Earlier this week, critics of the proposal attended an Ohio Statehouse hearing opposing the matter.
What People Are Saying
Xiang Zhang, a professor of genomics at the University of Cincinnati, said at a hearing on Tuesday, as reported by the South China Morning Post: "I never thought that one day, I would have to stand here in front of you to defend myself solely because of my nationality. I never thought that one day, I would lose my house in Ohio solely because of my nationality."
Ohio Representative Angie King, who sponsored the bill, said: "This is a national security issue. The federal government can't counter all these threats on their own. What people don't realize is that the Chinese government kind of exerts a top-down control over all Chinese companies and commercial enterprises regardless of whether a state official has a stake in the company or not."
Ohio Realtors said in a May 20 statement on its website: "The bill is part of a broader national push to address concerns about foreign land ownership tied to national security. However, as currently written, the legislation would create sweeping limitations that affect far more than high-risk transactions, including everyday residential purchases."
Harrison Siders, a member of the State Armor Action nonprofit seeking to combat the Chinese Communist Party's influence, testified at an Ohio committee hearing, as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer: "Without states and localities addressing this threat, even the most robust action by Washington will be too little, too late. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) calls the states the soft underbelly of America."
What Happens Next
Lawmakers are expected to debate amendments as the House and Senate bill are still in their early stages. The proposals could advance to full legislative votes in the coming months.
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