However, at the heart of this debate isn’t merely whether people should be able to take over other people’s residences. The crux of the matter is the concept of property rights, a notion that is foundational to the nation.

On the side supporting the idea that people should not be able to remove people from their property easily, an underlying belief system motivates their arguments: an adherence to the Marxist idea that private property should not exist. In a recent op-ed, author Robert Henneke explored this issue.

They’re not even hiding it. The Democratic Socialists of America, for example, say they want to repeal laws “that criminalize squatting and other productive occupation of unused housing,” After all, as Karl Marx points out, “The theory of Communism may be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all private property.”

So, it’s not really a surprise that uber-progressive New York City has changed the rules to enhance those protections — and to extend them to squatters. In New York state, residents who have occupied a residence for 10 years can make a claim of ownership. This isn’t uncommon; states have adverse possession laws that help keep the property rolls clean.

Squatting, typically defined as occupying an abandoned or unmonitored property without permission, has been used as a way to attack property rights. However, it has also been applied to those renting a space for a particular period – especially in New York. “Squatters cannot be easily removed from the property if they have been living in it for 30 days, as landlords must then navigate the city’s eviction laws—entering a process that can take around two years to complete,” according to a report.

States like Florida and others have responded to the squatting issue with legislation aimed at protecting property owners. Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a law eliminating squatters’ rights while simplifying the eviction process and decreasing legal loopholes, making it easier to protect property rights. If a squatter occupies one’s property, the owner needs only to fill out a form and give it to their local sheriff, who will then remove the individual from the premises.

At its heart, the concept of squatter’s rights is nothing more than a method for attacking the rights of property owners, preventing them from doing what they wish with their own belongings. Even further, the onerous legal process in states dominated by Marxists imposes heavy financial burdens on property owners dealing with squatters. But, at its core, it further blurs the line between what constitutes private property and what should be available to members of the community who did not work to purchase the property.

To break it all down, Marxists do not want Americans to own property. They believe the “people,” which is just a deceptive way of saying “the government,” should be the sole owner of property that it benevolently makes available for everyone to use – as long as you happen to be “more equal than others.”

Under the guise of housing advocacy, defenders of squatter’s rights are attempting to undo America’s thinking regarding property ownership. It is but one weapon they are using to gradually erode this concept in the nation’s psyche with the aim of eventually pushing society toward one that embraces a Marxist understanding of property ownership.

The fact that states like Florida are implementing measures to prevent this attack on property rights is encouraging. After all, if the government’s role is to protect our rights, then there should be few priorities higher than safeguarding our right to own and control our own belongings, right?