Arizona Governor Vetos Land Bill
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs is facing mounting backlash after vetoing legislation aimed at blocking Chinese land acquisition near sensitive U.S. infrastructure—just as new national security threats involving Chinese nationals are unfolding.
Senate Bill 1109, passed by Arizona lawmakers with bipartisan amendments, would have barred Chinese government-linked entities from owning a 30% or greater stake in Arizona land—especially properties located near key strategic sites like Luke Air Force Base, the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, and the booming Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing facility. But Gov. Hobbs struck it down, claiming the bill was “ineffective at counter-espionage” and lacked “clear implementation criteria,” leaving it vulnerable to arbitrary enforcement.
National security advocates and state legislators were swift and unambiguous in their response.
“Politically motivated and utterly insane,” said Arizona Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp, who championed the bill. “This is obstructionism at the expense of public safety.” Michael Lucci, founder of the security-focused group State Armor Action, warned that Hobbs had effectively hung an "Open for the CCP" sign on Arizona’s doorstep. He stressed that in an era of asymmetric warfare, “proximity produces peril.”
The veto could not have come at a more politically sensitive time. Just hours earlier, the Justice Department revealed criminal charges against two Chinese nationals, Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu, for allegedly smuggling a biological pathogen into the U.S.—a substance federal authorities say is classified as a potential agroterrorism weapon. The pathogen, Fusarium graminearum, is known to devastate staple crops like wheat and rice and can also harm livestock and humans.
Prosecutors say Jian and Liu—both funded in part by the Chinese government—were conducting research at the University of Michigan, where Jian was employed. Liu allegedly tried to smuggle the samples through Detroit’s airport, initially lying to customs officials before admitting he concealed the material in tissues to avoid detection.
“This is of the gravest national security concerns,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgan. “These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into the heartland of America.” Homeland Security and Customs officials echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that such actions could have catastrophic effects on the U.S. agricultural economy.
The juxtaposition is jarring: on the same day federal prosecutors warn of Chinese government-funded biological threats infiltrating U.S. soil, Arizona’s top executive vetoes legislation designed to prevent hostile land acquisitions by that same regime.
While Hobbs argued that S.B. 1109 lacked direct counter-espionage impact, critics argue the logic fails in the face of mounting evidence. Notably, 22 other states have passed foreign ownership restrictions, with 17 enacted into law in 2024 alone. National security experts insist that proximity matters—whether it’s land near a fighter jet base or a university research lab within driving distance of critical infrastructure.
Congress is currently reviewing multiple bills aimed at implementing similar restrictions nationwide. Until then, states are on the front lines of defending against the encroachment of hostile foreign influence.