Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has blasted the idea of “squatter’s rights,” questioning the laws that allow interlopers on a property to claim ownership over its rightful owner, calling it a case of “just breaking the law.”
Squatter rights laws allow anyone illegally occupying another person’s property to claim ownership if they are not evicted after a certain amount of time. Also known as adverse possession laws, these laws are in effect in all 50 U.S. states but enforcement differs significantly.
In an April 6 interview with The New York Post, Mr. Fetterman said he had extensive experience with these laws while he was mayor of Braddock in Pennsylvania. In some cases, they can come into effect after only 30 days of illegally occupying a building.
“It’s wild that if you go away on a long trip, for 30 days, and someone breaks into your home and suddenly, they have rights,” he said.
“This is crazy. Like if somebody stole your car, and then they held it for 30 days, then somehow you now have some rights?” he added.
According to law experts who have spoken with The Epoch Times, police can’t help because it’s a civil matter. Under these laws, the only way to remove a squatter claiming ownership is through an eviction lawsuit, which can drag on for months or years because housing courts are severely backlogged at the moment.
Squatter’s rights as they exist today can be traced back to the Homestead Act of 1862, which allowed settlers to claim land in the western United States under the agreement they would improve it and live on it for at least five years. Over time, the concept of squatter’s rights have expanded well beyond land claims.
According to Mr. Fetterman, “Squatters have no rights,” and during his time as Mayor, he always tried to “push back against that.”
Another expert speaking to The Epoch Times claimed illegal immigrants could further exacerbate the squatter rights issue, although he noted he had yet to see this transpire.
Border Patrol has encountered more than 7.6 million illegal immigrants trying to cross the border since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. Many have come seeking asylum and various jurisdictions around the country are struggling to keep up with the influx of people, stretching resources to their limits in some cases, such as in Texas, Arizona, and New York.
Fetterman Says US Needs to Be Smart and Aggressive on Crime
Soft crime policies are being blamed for the fatal shooting of NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller during a traffic stop in Queens last month. According to authorities, Guy Rivera, who was accused of the crime, has at least 21 prior arrests for drug and assault related offenses.
Mr. Fetterman says he has no issue giving second chances to offenders who have made a mistake. But 20 chances is pushing it too far.
“If you have those kinds of established records, it doesn’t serve any greater goal to allow people that are offending, offending, offending and allow them to not be held accountable,” he said.
“If this individual is convicted, then he should spend the rest of his life in prison and never have an opportunity to get out,” he added.
“It’s wild that if you go away on a long trip, for 30 days, and someone breaks into your home and suddenly, they have rights,”
These are the insane laws created by Democrats. Just like the illegal 10 MILLION homeless, jobless, disease infected, criminal immigrants that the Democrat Party is importing and forcing the U.S. citizen taxpayer to pay 25 BILLION dollars each and every month to totally support their imported immigrants.
More and more Fetterman, is sounding like the ONLY SANE DEMOCRAT around..
NOW that is saying something.
“the only way to remove a squatter claiming ownership is through an eviction lawsuit, which can drag on for months or years because housing courts are severely backlogged at the moment.”
Pure Obama/Hillary/Biden Chicago Community organizer mentor Saul Alinsky;
Rules for radicals number 2
“Increase the Poverty level as high as possible, poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live”.,,,(i.e. overwhelm the system by importing as much poverty as possible). – Then overwhelm the court systems and back up the case loads of illegal immigration as well as illegal Squatter possessions of your very basic living quarters, to the point that Justice is so delayed, it never gets served, or if and when it does, the social damage of promoting more poverty is attained by the Democrat SOCIALIST ideology and actions of evil, that seek to destroy honest workable government.
I have knowledge of a few “Pacific Heights Movie” squatter situations where the government inaction began to defund the honest homeowner’s financial situation, but was only immediately resolved when Home owner put gun to the head or legs of the intruder, a prime reason we have the 2nd amendment to own guns and the 3rd amendment preventing the forced housing of either foreign troops or Enemy Democrat party socialist armies of darkness.
What made me puke the other day, was in regards to a seattle area ‘charity’ related to the seattle BAR ASSOCIATION (which was somehow getting FEDERAL FUNDS), who used those funs to pay the bills FOR AN illegal squatter, so he could avoid eviction..
HOW THE HELL CAN THEY CLAIM in any capacity, that as lawyers, they are representing the LAWS honestly and faithfully then, WHEN THEY literally use OUR TAX DOLLARS to fund and assist a criminal?!?!?
Fetterman is starting to surprise people with some of his stances that don’t follow the dem mantra. I wish more would follow that lead.
Perhaps he needs to shift parites.
Trespassing and Destruction of private property was illegal If the damages were over a certain amount it was a felony Why can’t these squatters be put in jail ???Democrats , I knew it