Overview
- Leonel Moreno, a Venezuelan migrant and TikTok influencer, was deported to Venezuela on March 28, 2025, after entering the U.S. illegally in 2022.
- Moreno gained notoriety for viral TikTok videos encouraging illegal migrants to exploit U.S. squatter's rights and flaunting government aid, sparking public outrage.
- He caused a disturbance on the deportation flight, prompting authorities to place him in a separate section with heightened security measures.
- The deportation followed the Trump administration's reinstatement of deportation flights to Venezuela, which had previously been halted under the Maduro regime.
- Moreno's case highlights broader debates over immigration enforcement, social media's role in amplifying contentious messages, and U.S.-Venezuela relations.