Miami, Florida – A man who entered the United States illegally from Venezuela has been apprehended after gaining attention online for boasting about exploiting U.S. laws to receive free money and urging other newcomers to capitalize on laws protecting squatters.
Leonel Moreno, now known as the “migrant influencer,” utilized TikTok to educate viewers about squatting laws and provide guidance on how to take advantage of them. His account on the platform has since been removed.
In one of his TikTok videos, Moreno revealed, “I learned that there is a law that says if a house is not inhabited, then we can take it… I think that will be my next business: invade abandoned houses.”
After crossing the border illegally in April of 2022 in Eagle Pass, Texas, Moreno was granted parole but failed to attend his initial check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Initially placed in the Alternatives to Detention program, Moreno was equipped with a cell phone for tracking purposes. However, due to his non-compliance with program regulations, he was labeled as a pre-order absconder and ultimately removed from the program by the Department of Homeland Security.
Authorities later confirmed that Moreno had been taken into custody. Additionally, Moreno is scheduled to appear in a Florida court in February of 2025, but his whereabouts have proven elusive.
In a separate case in Ohio, Fermin Garcia-Gutierrez has been accused of exploiting system loopholes and gaps in intelligence. Despite being deported eight times, Garcia-Gutierrez, who has utilized multiple identities, continues to re-enter the country successfully.
Sheriff Richard Jones revealed that Garcia-Gutierrez’s recent arrest was related to possession of drugs and weapons while intoxicated and obstructing justice. Jones noted that since 2021, the county has housed nearly 1,000 immigrant inmates with ICE detainers.