New York Republican state Sen. Mario Mattera. (NY Senate.gov)
"We need to fix this now, so we can stop the bleeding. The bleeding needs to stop. People are getting hurt. People are getting killed. And what are we doing about it? Guess what, my bill gives the tools to all law enforcement to do their job," Mattera said.
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New York City is working to solve the squatting issue. (Fox News Photo/Joshua Comins)
Savvy criminals have apparently exploited the laws, with Mattera pointing to a case unfolding in Queens where a suspected squatter showed proof of rights to a home by presenting an UberEats receipt from burger joint Shake Shack for $25.27, ostensibly to show they lived on the property as it had the address.
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"A married couple invested … in a home in Queens, Jamaica, Queens, several years ago. Now they’re forced to go to court right now," he said. "An alleged squatter hired an attorney. There it is. Imagine, this squatter hired an attorney. And there they are, they have a burger chain receipt that says that that's the proof that they live in that house. By a burger shack giving them a receipt with the address on it when they delivered it," he said.
"This is serious. My bill is a very, again, a very aggressive bill. It gives the tools to our police officers to do their job."
Though "aggressive" against squatting, Mattera said the legislative package also provides protection for individuals wrongfully removed from a property, "including potential triple damages, restoration of possession, and attorney fees for the aggrieved party," his office explained in a press release last week.
The package would also redefine the definition of "occupant" to exclude squatters and trespassers, it would exclude squatters and trespassers from the "current squatter-friendly remedy for self-help evictions," and clarify that criminal trespass in the third degree includes squatters.
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Mattera said the explosion of squatting cases in New York comes after a series of "bad laws" in the state that have emboldened criminals, including cashless bail that has allowed repeat offenders to return to the streets after certain arrests.
Mattera pointed specifically to the fatal shooting of NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller in Queens last month, allegedly at the hands of a career criminal who had been arrested 21 times prior.
The hearse carrying the casket of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller arrives for his funeral at St. Rose of Lima R.C. Church on March 30, 2024 in Massapequa, New York. Officer Diller was killed on March 25 when he was shot in Queens after approaching an illegally parked vehicle. Two suspects have been arrested, charged and are being held and without bail for the murder of Diller. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Mattera connected his bill regarding squatters to cashless bail, saying if the squatter bill is passed, it will help usher back law and order policies to the Empire State. He added that some of the alleged squatters in New York have lengthy criminal histories and should be in jail if not for cashless bail, such as the suspect who attacked Buckleman in 2021.
"I was there when the governor went to Officer Diller’s wake, and you know, didn't get a good reception. Rightfully so, Governor. Do something about it in your budget. Do something now in the budget, right now, to repeal cashless bail," he said, referring to tense video of a man standing outside the wake last week talking to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul before the governor turned around and left the service.
Venezuelan TikToker Leonal Moreno urged illegal immigrants to take over abandoned homes and invoke squatters' rights. (TikTok/Screenshot/Leonal Moreno)
"Look at what just happened with the illegal migrant going on TikTok … and saying to everybody, ‘This is what you need to do. You could go do this. Go find vacant homes. Go do what you could do.’ … Yes, he got arrested, but the damage is done already," he said.
Mattera pinned blame on Gov. Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams for not rescinding sanctuary city and state policies in their respective jurisdictions, saying the Democratic leaders have "enabled" migrants.
"They're enabling the illegal migrants right now. They're being enabled. They don't want to go to work. They're like, ‘You brought me here. Now you take care of me.’ But again, the governor and the mayor could have signed an executive order … rescinding the sanctuary state and the sanctuary city [policies]. Please, all New Yorkers understand that, and call the governor, call the mayor of New York, and ask them: What are you doing to fix this disaster that they both created," he said.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. (Getty Images)
Last month, the NYPD arrested eight migrant squatters who allegedly took over a Bronx property, where they found guns and drugs. The New York Post reported six of the eight migrant squatters had been released without bail.
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"We just had another situation in the Bronx. It was another thing with the drugs, guns. … The owner of the property in the Bronx … he couldn't get rid of them either. So this bill, S. 8867, will do the job, give the tools to our law enforcement to remove these people that do not have any permission to be on anybody's property or in anybody's property," he said.
Mattera said that while he is working on passing his bill, Democrats are overwhelmingly "nowhere to be found" on squatting issues. A similar squatting bill was introduced in the New York Assembly that’s sponsored by both a Republican and Democrat, which Mattera hopes is indication Democrats across the state will get on board with the bills.
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"There's a reason why we have people exiting New York to go to Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, especially, and Texas … We lost over 1.5 million people that exited New York State because of bad laws. And you know what? People are frightened. People do not feel safe anymore," he said.
Hochul's office did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Adams' office directed Fox News Digital to the NYPD when asked if there was concern migrants could exploit local squatting laws. Fox News Digital reached out to the NYPD but did not receive a response.
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