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When property deals move from economic opportunity to national vulnerability, it’s time for Americans to know the facts — and defend what’s ours.

Over the past few months, I’ve seen an uptick in headlines and heated social media posts about foreigners “buying up America.” The language is charged, the emotions are high, and, unfortunately, the facts often get lost somewhere between the memes and the megaphones.

Let’s be clear from the start: owning property in the United States is not, in and of itself, a problem. America has long welcomed lawful investment from abroad, and in many cases, it has helped fuel our economy, create jobs, and strengthen communities. I am a staunch believer in the right to own property — it’s one of the cornerstones of freedom.

But like all freedoms, it comes with responsibilities, and it should never come at the cost of our national security.

The Real Issue Isn’t “Foreign” — It’s “Strategic”

The conversation we should be having isn’t about whether someone from another country buys a house in Miami or an apartment in Denver. The real concern is when foreign corporations — especially those linked to adversarial governments — purchase land, buildings, or infrastructure adjacent to America’s most sensitive locations.

Think about it:

• Farmland near an Air Force base housing advanced drone technology.

• Warehouses down the road from a naval shipyard.

• Real estate adjacent to energy pipelines, water treatment facilities, or electrical substations.

These aren’t harmless transactions. They are potential footholds in the heart of our nation’s defense and infrastructure. In 2022, for example, a Chinese-linked company attempted to buy farmland just 12 miles from Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. This base isn’t just a strip of runways; it’s a hub for some of our most advanced surveillance and unmanned aircraft programs. The outcry from security experts was swift and justified.

What the Law Actually Says

Here’s where the confusion sets in. Many people assume the U.S. Constitution guarantees anyone — citizen or not — the right to own property here. It doesn’t. While certain constitutional protections extend to non-citizens (like due process), property rights for foreign nationals are not absolute.

Congress already has the power to block transactions that threaten national security, and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) exists to review such purchases. The problem is, this review process is often too slow, too narrow, and too reactive. By the time alarms are raised, the deal may be done.

Where States Step In

Here’s some good news: states aren’t powerless. Texas, Florida, North Dakota, and others have passed laws limiting or banning certain foreign entities — particularly those tied to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea — from owning land near military installations or critical infrastructure. These state-level protections are essential because local leaders understand their own vulnerabilities better than any Washington bureaucrat.

And frankly, the federal government should welcome these efforts, not stand in the way.

Citizenship Still Matters

I also want to address another popular talking point: the idea that if someone lives here — even without citizenship — they should have every right a citizen has. That’s not how nations work. Citizenship is not just a piece of paper; it’s a covenant between an individual and a country. It comes with rights, responsibilities, and protections that should not be handed out indiscriminately.

History shows why this matters. Throughout time, sovereign nations have safeguarded certain privileges exclusively for their citizens — from voting rights in ancient Greece to land ownership laws in early America that were designed to ensure local control over resources. The intent was not exclusion for exclusion’s sake, but preservation of a country’s self-determination.

Lawful residents who contribute to our economy should be welcomed and respected. But when it comes to national defense, strategic resources, and the sovereignty of our land, those decisions must rest in the hands of those who have pledged their allegiance to this country. If we forget that distinction, we erode the very foundation that allows America to remain both free and secure.

An Informed Citizenry Is the Best Defense

The most dangerous thing we can do right now is let misinformation and fear-mongering replace thoughtful discussion. It’s a tactic as old as politics itself: exaggerate a threat, simplify the narrative, and rally people around emotion rather than evidence. Some bad actors — both foreign and domestic — benefit from this. They know that if Americans argue over the wrong issues, we won’t notice the real vulnerabilities until it’s too late.

Consider how quickly falsehoods spread online. A single misleading headline about “all foreign property ownership being banned” can ignite outrage, dominate news feeds for days, and ultimately waste the political will that should be focused on protecting truly strategic locations. That’s not vigilance — that’s distraction.

A well-educated populace is our best line of defense against such manipulation. And by “educated,” I don’t mean holding a degree from a university. I mean everyday Americans who understand the core issues that shape our safety and prosperity: security, sovereignty, and the rule of law. When citizens are equipped with facts instead of slogans, they not only make better decisions — they become harder to divide, harder to mislead, and far more capable of holding leaders accountable.

The Path Forward

We need a two-tiered approach:

1. Federal action to tighten and speed up the review of strategic land purchases by foreign entities.
2. State-level protections tailored to each state’s geography, economy, and security needs.

And above all, we need to keep this debate grounded in facts, not fear. America’s strength has always been its ability to balance freedom with responsibility, openness with vigilance. We can — and must — protect both.

John G. Stevens is the owner of Weekly Real Estate News and a former President of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers. He writes frequently on issues impacting the real estate industry and the security of the American housing market.