Florida Law Challenged for Discriminating Against Chinese Academics

A lawsuit alleges that a new Florida law unfairly targets Chinese students and faculty, hindering their academic pursuits.

Two graduate students and a professor have sued Florida education officials over a law limiting research exchanges with seven prohibited countries, including China.
The law, passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, is said to discriminate against Chinese students and faculty.
Plaintiffs argue the law is unconstitutional, likening it to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and claim it usurps federal authority over immigration and foreign affairs.
The law has forced the plaintiffs to put their studies on hold and has prevented a professor from recruiting research assistants, impacting their academic productivity.
Critics say the law's vagueness leads to arbitrary enforcement, stigmatizing individuals from China and of Asian descent seeking academic positions in Florida.