A Venezuelan national dubbed “The Migrant Influencer” has sparked controversy over a series of TikTok posts coaching migrants on how to live in the U.S. by taking advantage of laws protecting squatters.
“If a house is not inhabited, we can seize it,” Leonel Moreno — who the New York Post says appears to live in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio — told his 500,000 followers on TikTok.
News Nation reports that a recent video posted by Moreno where he advises followers to avoid being homeless by invading “empty homes and live there,” has garnered nearly four million views.
He claims that squatters’ rights under U.S. law allow an uninhabited home to be seized.
Moreno says in the viral TikTok clip that he has “African friends” who have “already taken about seven homes.”
Property rights attorney James Burling told News Nation with more migrants moving into cities we are going to see more squatting. “They’re talking about all the advantages that you can get from squatting, it’s inevitable that it’s going to increase,” Burling said.
Burling also warned that some of Moreno’s advice is incorrect and could get people who try it in trouble.
NewsNation said it spoke with city leaders who reported they hadn’t heard of Moreno or seen a local uptick in squatting.
Note: Both NewsNation and KTLA are owned by Nexstar Media Group.
