Illegal Alien Influencer Leonel Moreno Deported Back to Venezuela Following Trump Administration Crackdown
Leonel Moreno, the Venezuelan illegal immigrant and self-proclaimed social media influencer who infamously encouraged fellow migrants to exploit U.S. housing laws, has been deported back to Venezuela, according to a Friday report by The New York Post.
Moreno’s removal marks a significant victory for the Trump administration’s renewed immigration enforcement efforts. The deportation comes just months after President Trump secured a deal with Venezuelan officials to resume deportation flights, an agreement that had stalled under the Biden administration.
A Disruptive Exit
Venezuela’s Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, confirmed Moreno’s arrival and noted that the influencer created a disruption during the flight, prompting authorities to isolate him in a separate section of the plane under additional security measures.
Despite the commotion, Moreno appeared smug and defiant upon landing, reportedly flashing a thumbs-up as he was escorted off the aircraft.
From Viral Fame to Deportation
Moreno, who illegally entered the U.S. at Eagle Pass, Texas, in April 2022, was placed into the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program—a controversial policy involving ankle monitors and technology-based tracking instead of detention. However, he violated the program’s terms and became an “absconder”, according to ICE officials.
While on the run from immigration authorities, Moreno launched a series of viral videos on TikTok, in which he openly encouraged fellow illegal immigrants to invade unoccupied homes in the U.S. and abuse squatters’ rights.
“If a house is not inhabited, we can seize it,” Moreno claimed in one video that amassed millions of views.
“That will be my next business: invading abandoned houses.”
His posts sparked widespread backlash, especially as it was revealed that Moreno was living in Ohio without a job and receiving $350 per week in federal benefits, according to his own admissions.
“I don’t like to work,” Moreno once said in a now-deleted video. “It gives me allergies.”
Ties to Venezuelan Military Intelligence?
Adding further concern, reports surfaced suggesting Moreno may have previously served as a sergeant in Venezuela’s military intelligence unit, though U.S. officials have not confirmed those claims publicly.
A Shift in Policy Under Trump
Moreno’s deportation had been ordered in September 2024, but efforts to remove him stalled when Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro refused to accept deportees from the U.S. during the Biden administration.
That changed with the return of President Trump to the White House. Under Trump’s leadership, the U.S. reinstated enforcement-focused immigration policy, and Maduro’s regime agreed to accept deportations after diplomatic pressure.
This cooperation was a sharp departure from the prior administration’s failed efforts to manage the migrant crisis, particularly regarding non-cooperative nations like Venezuela.
Public Reaction
Moreno’s case has become symbolic for many Americans frustrated with the failures of past immigration enforcement, the abuse of taxpayer-funded benefits by non-citizens, and the apparent double standards in immigration justice.
Critics of the previous administration argue that individuals like Moreno were allowed to exploit loopholes, mock U.S. law, and flaunt their presence online, all while law-abiding citizens and legal immigrants were held to higher standards.
With Moreno now deported and further removals expected, the Trump administration is signaling a clear message: those who enter the country illegally, flout the law, and boast about it online will be held accountable.
As immigration remains a defining issue heading into 2026, cases like this continue to galvanize public support for strict enforcement, policy reform, and restoration of national sovereignty.
