Academics challenge Florida law restricting research exchanges from prohibited countries like China

MIAMI (AP) — Two graduate students from China whose studies were put on hold, and a professor who says he is unable to recruit research assistants, are suing Florida education officials. They are trying to stop enforcement of a new state law which limits research exchanges between state universities and academics from seven prohibited countries. The lawsuit was filed Monday in federal court in Miami. The law passed last year by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis was designed to stop the Chinese Communist government from influencing the state’s public colleges and universities. But the lawsuit says it’s discriminatory and unconstitutional.