"possession is nine tenths of the law" not really though... i would remind that u.s. law is very very strongly biased towards property rights above civil or human rights, and cops are very biased against the poor and tend to go by that rather than always follow the actual law, especially when no one else is around to see. if you are looking to settle in, i hope it works - you should really make a careful study of the laws and statutes that pertain to adverse possession and standards around occupancy/tenancy where you are living. eviction can be a very complicated thing (although a lot of u.s. jurisdictions have streamlined it since the late 00s foreclosure wave and subsequent increase in squatting) but arresting someone for trespassing is definitely not. i don't think anything anyone on this site could tell you should be considered a substitute for knowing the actual laws and regulations that apply to your situation so that you can get around them or use them to your advantage. it seems like you have a good grasp of the basic idea but these laws and rules can differ by state, county or town/city