Hundreds rally against anti-Asian homeownership bills in Ohio

By Randall Yip, Executive Editor

The Takeaways

• Hundreds protested in Columbus, Ohio against two proposed bills (HB1 and SB88) that would prohibit legal permanent residents and other non-citizens from owning property near sensitive infrastructure. The demonstration drew nearly 400 people despite 96-degree heat.

• The Senate version of the bill goes further by requiring affected individuals—including green card holders from countries such as China, Iran, and Venezuela—to sell existing homes within two years, sparking fears of institutional discrimination.

• Organizers warn the legislation could be a gateway to broader exclusionary policies, invoking echoes of past anti-Asian sentiment. They emphasized the fight is not just for the Asian community, but for all marginalized groups potentially impacted by future laws.

The Details

Nearly 400 people, braving scorching hot weather of 96 degrees, rallied Tuesday against two bills that would prevent legal permanent residents from purchasing homes in Ohio.

The protest in front of the state capitol in Columbus came just days after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a similar law on Sunday. That law excludes green card holders from the ban. The Ohio bills do not.

Hao Cong is a U.S. citizen and not directly impacted by the two bills supporters say are necessary for national security. Her voice cracked during a phone interview with AsAmNews while she recounted a discussion she had with her children.

“‘Why is it happening again, Mom,’ she recalls them asking her, remembering the spike in anti-Asian hate incidents during the pandemic. “‘We already went through this.”‘

The bills HB1 in the House and SB88 in the Senate are similar, but the Senate bill goes even further.

It requires permanent residents and non-citizens who already own a home to sell it within two years.

“The key message is we are not just fighting for the Chinese community or the Asian community, we are fighting for everybody. We strongly believe this is just the first step. Then they are going to pass laws in employment, higher education, and in other fields as well,” said educator and founder of the Ohio Chinese American Council, Hongmei Li, to AsAmNews.

The bills target non-citizens from China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela and North Korea. However, every six months the Secretary of State would be required to reevaluate the list and other countries could be added.

“There might be some countries that you might be a little worried having nationals from that country owning property in the United States, particularly real estate in the state of Ohio,” Gov. Mike DeWine said to NBC4. “So, we’ll see.”

The homeownership ban encompasses a 25-mile area from any airport, military base, farmland, railroad, trucking terminals and state and federal dams.

Wessley Miller flew in from Texas to attend the rally and assist in organizing against SB88 and HB1. Describing himself as a “just a normal White guy” to AsAmNews, he said

“The bills are terrifying. I mean, I understand that they’re disguised as national security, but these safeguards are already in place. I mean it goes a lot deeper than someone’s ability to purchase a property. This is just fear being weaponized to, quite candidly, push people out of the state of Ohio.”

The legislature is scheduled to go into summer recess, but organizers say they wanted to send them off with a strong message against racism and discrimination and support for the 14th and 5th Amendments.