Leonel Moreno, a 27-year-old Venezuelan influencer, has been ordered to leave the U.S. following a judge’s ruling in Ohio. Moreno became infamous for his viral TikTok videos, where he mocked hardworking migrants and flaunted the government assistance he was receiving. He was arrested in March 2024 after failing to check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), having crossed the border illegally in April 2022 at Eagle Pass, Texas.
In his TikTok clips, Moreno bragged about earning $1,000 a week on social media while claiming his family received $350 in handouts. He also encouraged fellow migrants to squat in abandoned homes, advising them to use squatter’s rights to their advantage. His inflammatory statements drew outrage, especially after he ridiculed migrants who worked in labor-intensive jobs like landscaping and construction.
Despite being banned from TikTok, where he had amassed over 500,000 followers, Moreno continued to boast about his earnings on Facebook and Instagram. He remained defiant, stating that although his TikTok income had decreased, he would recover his account and continue making money. Moreno’s brash attitude and disregard for legal norms have kept him in the public eye.
The deportation order complicates his situation, as Venezuela, under President Nicolás Maduro, has recently stopped accepting deportation flights from the U.S. This raises questions about how the government will handle Moreno’s case. ICE is reportedly still evaluating his situation, and whether he will actually be deported remains uncertain.
Moreno’s case has sparked significant attention, not just for his illegal entry into the U.S., but for the way he leveraged his online presence while criticizing the very system that provided him aid. His controversial rise to fame and current legal troubles highlight the complexities of immigration and social media’s role in amplifying these issues.
