Florida's Alien Land Law
Although it was never enforced or put into practice, Florida still has on its books a law banning Asian immigrants from owning land. On November 2008, Florida voters will have an opportunity to remove our State's archaic “alien land law” of 1926.
This law was originally enacted in response to a movement from West to East that begun with California enacting a similar law in 1913 on the basis that Asian workers, specially immigrants from Japan, would work for lower wages and be able to purchase large tracks of land. The Florida Constitution was amended allowing the legislature to regulate or prohibit, as saw fit, property ownership by aliens that were ineligible for citizenship. In light of present federal laws which guarantee “equal protection” this type of law has no place anywhere in our country. Believe it or not, Florida is the last state in the union with such a law on its books. Sen. Steve Geller, D-Cooper City, is credited as the responsible individual for persuading legislators to put this law on the ballot.
