Few years later, similar law was enacted in Washington that banning land ownership “by aliens other than those who in good faith have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States.” It implied those aliens are not eligible for citizenship, they never could declare to be naturalized “in good faith.”[2] Terrace was a citizen of both the United States and Washington State.

He was a farmer and wanted to lease his land to Nakatsuaka for five years, who was born in Japan and Japanese descent.

[1] The appellants argued that the enforcement of Alien Land Law was a transgression of due process and equal protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment and the treaty of Commerce and Navigation of 1911.

They claimed it is contradictory to the Fourteenth Amendment because of discrimination on aliens who are ineligible for citizenship and stripping their right to have an occupation as a farmer.

[1] First of all, the U.S. Supreme Court didn’t admit the violation of due process and equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.