A new Illinois law taking effect in 2026 will give law enforcement more authority to remove squatters from properties they do not legally occupy. While this has not been a major issue locally, it is something many people have likely seen online, where property owners struggle to regain control of their own homes.
Under Senate Bill 1563, people living in a property without legal ownership or permission can now be treated as trespassers, allowing police to remove them right away once a complaint is made. In the past, property owners often had to go through long and frustrating civil court processes before anything could be done.
