America was built on the idea that every person has the right to their own property. That’s written into our Constitution. It’s part of what makes us free. But in the heart of Washington, D.C., our nation’s capital, that freedom is under attack—and this time, it’s the courts helping to tear it down.

Rochanne Douglas is a homeowner who did everything right. She opened her home as an Airbnb rental and followed all the rules. But now, she’s been locked out of her own property by a squatter who overstayed a short-term rental and refuses to leave. And the D.C. court system is siding with the squatter.

This isn’t just a story of one woman’s nightmare. It’s a warning to every property owner in America: the government no longer has your back.

Here’s what happened. Shadija Romero booked a 32-day stay in Douglas’s home. That’s it—just a little over a month. No lease. No long-term agreement. No right to stay beyond that. But when the stay ended, Romero didn’t leave. She stayed just long enough to exploit D.C.’s ridiculous tenant laws. In D.C., if someone stays more than 30 days, they can suddenly claim “residency”—even without a lease.

Douglas did everything she could. She gave Romero notice to leave. She called the police. She went to court. She even offered Romero $2,500 just to get out. Romero signed that agreement, promising to leave by November 15. But when the day came, she simply said, “This no longer works for me,” and stayed put.

Think about that. In what world does a person get to ignore a legal agreement, stay in someone else’s house, and face no consequences?

When Douglas tried to take back her home, the police told her they couldn’t help. Romero had no lease, no paperwork, and no legal right to the house. Still, the police let her stay. At one point, Romero even left the property. Douglas changed the locks, boarded it up for safety, and cut the power. But Romero came back, broke in, and brought a locksmith to get inside. And again, the police did nothing.

This is what happens when leftist policies run wild. D.C. has made it easier for criminals to become “tenants” than for homeowners to protect their own property. The city’s laws reward squatters and punish responsible Americans.

To make matters worse, Romero has been living her best life while Douglas suffers. Social media posts show Romero traveling, promoting her nonprofit, and enjoying freedom—while Douglas pays the mortgage, the utility bills, and legal fees for a house she’s not even allowed to enter.

At a court hearing, things got even more outrageous. Romero was accused of trying to push Douglas off a ladder. She allegedly messed with security cameras and switched utilities into her daughter’s name. She even tried to get Douglas removed as a witness in court.

And the judge? He didn’t kick Romero out. No, he told Douglas to turn the electricity back on for the squatter living in her house.

This is lawlessness. This is what happens when the courts care more about criminals than about victims. When government power is used to protect those who break the law rather than those who follow it.

This isn’t just a problem in D.C. It’s happening all over the country, especially in cities run by radical liberals. If we don’t fix this broken system now, property rights will mean nothing. Homeowners will be helpless. And criminals will know they can take whatever they want, without fear of punishment.

Enough is enough. We need to stand up for the rights of Americans like Rochanne Douglas—hardworking, law-abiding citizens who deserve the protection of their government, not betrayal by it. If we don’t defend property rights, we lose the very foundation of our freedom.

It’s time to put America First. That starts with defending American homes.