A well-known TikTok user with more than 500,000 followers recently posted a video teaching illegal immigrants how to take over empty homes and claim ownership rights in the U.S.
Leonel Moreno, a TikTok star from Venezuela living in Columbus, Ohio, shared a video suggesting that if a house is empty, people can just take it over.
NEW – Migrant on TikTok tells illegal immigrants how to "invade" American homes and invoke "squatter's rights."https://t.co/ejvVNVQ7Hu
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) March 21, 2024
He seemed to be talking about adverse possession laws, also called squatter’s rights, which allow people to claim rights over a property they live in without the owner’s permission.
In a TikTok video seen by millions, Moreno said his “African friends” had taken over about seven homes already.
He argued that illegal immigrants could avoid being homeless and dependent on public assistance by moving into empty homes.
Many people on TikTok criticized Moreno’s video, saying squatting has become a big problem in the U.S., especially in cities run by Democrats like New York City, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.
Some users said Moreno should be charged with a crime and accused him of encouraging others to break the law.
One person even called on the FBI to investigate Moreno.
Laws about squatting exist in all 50 states, giving squatters legal protections that make it hard for homeowners to kick them out.
In New York City, squatters can claim rights to a property if they stay there for 30 days.
Moreno, known as the “Migrant Influencer,” has posted videos online showing how he makes money by begging on the streets and getting government assistance.
In February 2024, Moreno made headlines when he asked fellow migrants to support a 15-year-old Venezuelan charged with shooting a tourist in Times Square. He said they should help pay the bail to show solidarity, even though the teen had done something wrong.
