Property Rights vs Squatters' Rights

After high-profile news stories of squatters taking over homes in New York and California, as well as the now-infamous social media video of an illegal immigrant influencer using TikTok to encourage other illegal migrants to "invade" properties using squatters' rights loopholes, some states are working to change their laws.

In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis led the effort to change squatting from a civil to a criminal matter and, now, police can remove and arrest the intruders on the spot. Other states are following Florida's lead.

In tnhis discussion, Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Mark Miller assesses the laws in question, explains why property rights matter in the legal system, and the difference between squatting and "adverse possession", which he argues should still be allowed in rare and specific circumstances.