A migrant TikTok star has shared advice to his 500,000 followers on how to "invade" unoccupied homes as he encourages people to invoke squatter’s rights in the US.
In a video shared online, Leonel Moreno bragged that he has "African friends" who have "already taken about seven homes".
The Venezuelan national - who is thought to live in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio - said that under US law "if a house is not inhabited, we can seize it."
Moreno appears to refer to "squatter’s rights" - which allows the unlawful takeover of a property without the owner’s consent, in certain circumstances.
A migrant TikTok star has shared advice to his 500,000 followers on how to 'invade' unoccupied homes as he encourages people to invoke squatter’s rights in the US
TikTok/ @leitooficial_25
The clip now has more than 3.9 million views on TikTok.
According to the influencer - who lives with his partner and their baby daughter - the only way his fellow migrants can avoid living on the streets and not become a "public burden" is to "invade" unoccupied houses.
However, his message was met with criticism from social media users who condemned him for encouraging squatting.
One person wrote: "This guy needs to be charged with whatever crime."
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Another added: "Pretty sure this is illegal and I feel like he’s encouraging others to engage in illegal activities."
A third tagged the FBI, and wrote: "Please investigate that Venezuelan."
It comes as squatting has become a major problem across the US over recent years - particularly in Democrat-held cities including New York City, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
There are laws in place across all 50 states which offer trespassers protection if they establish legal occupancy of a home.
Migrants queue outside of the Roosevelt Hotel in New York in JulyReutersThe rules make it difficult for property owners to evict them.
Moreno has previously created videos boasting about earning money by begging on the streets while collecting government handouts.
He also received backlash after urging his followers to show their support for 15-year-old Jesus Alejandro Rivas-Figueroa, who was charged as an adult with attempted murder for allegedly shooting a tourist in Times Square and firing at cops.
