Immigrant Framed In Trump Threat Gets Bail
Man framed by local robbery suspect granted bail at immigration hearing.
Ramon Morales Reyes. Photo released by Department of Homeland Security.
Ramón Morales Reyes has a chance to get out of jail after a fake threat sent to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) landed him in federal custody.
On May 21, ICE received a letter threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump. It appeared to be signed by Morales Reyes, a Mexican immigrant living in Milwaukee. ICE arrested him the next day. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem released a statement a week later announcing the agency arrested an “illegal alien” threatening to kill the president.
But his family members, attorneys and immigration advocates all said it would have been impossible for him to send the letter as he does not speak or write English. It appeared Morales Reyes was being framed. Milwaukee prosecutors later charged Demetric D. Scott with trying to frame Morales Reyes so he would be deported and unable to testify against him in a robbery and assault case.
Morales Reyes was allegedly robbed and assaulted by Scott in 2024 and was set to testify against him. Scott is now also charged with identity theft to harm a reputation and witness intimidation, according to Milwaukee County Circuit Court records.
Morales Reyes was working through the process of applying for a U-visa, which is a visa provided to crime victims who are cooperating with the government, when he was arrested by ICE, putting him on track for deportation. Attorney Cain Oulahan, who is representing Morales Reyes, said in May his first move would be to try to get him released from custody.
An immigration judge in Chicago granted Morales Reyes a $7,500 bond Tuesday, according to his daughter Ana Morales and Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera.
“[Bail is a] good first step in clearing his name and giving him the rights to proceed in the judicial process and to fight to remain with his family,” Neumann-Ortiz said during a press conference following the immigration court hearing Tuesday.
His daughter and Voces continue to request that DHS correct previous statements by the agency and Sec. Noem accusing him of threatening to assassinate the president. A statement released by DHS on May 28 remains published on the agency website.
Asked whether the agency planned to correct the record, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded: “While this criminal illegal alien is no longer under investigation for threats against the President, he is in the country illegally with previous arrests for felony hit and run, criminal damage to property, and disorderly conduct with domestic abuse. The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and fulfilling the President’s mandate to deport illegal aliens. DHS will continue to fight for the arrest, detention, and removal of illegal aliens who have no right to be in this country.”
DHS has repeatedly pointed to Morales Reyes previous arrests. His attorneys have countered that in 1996 he was arrested but not charged for damaging property in a hit-and-run and ticketed for disorderly conduct and criminal damage after a dispute with his wife in which no one was injured, as the Associated Press reported.
Morales Reyes works as a dishwasher and has three children who were born in the U.S. His daughter, Ana, described him Tuesday as “a very hard working man. Loves spending time with his family, especially his grandkids.”
Ana thanked everyone working to clear her father’s name. A fundraiser, promoted by Voces, has been set up to help the family pay for his bond.
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According to their most recent (2022) tax returns, Voces had around $6.2 million of revenue…
Here’s where they report the $ went:
(approx)
$3.5 mill salary/pensions & “consultant fees”
$1.5 mill into the stock market
$500k or so into their savings account
$200k on travel & conferences
and a few bucks on overhead.
…oh, and a grand total of $116,768 in grants & other assistance to domestic individuals. (that’s a hair under 2%….)
Disappointing that an organization with this much $$$ won’t do more than just ‘promote’ a GoFundMe page for Mr. Reyes.
$7500 is maybe 1/3 of their monthly T&E expense…
Graham – ask them why they didn’t just post the $7500 via a grant?
ps. Shout out to Voces Exec Dir. C. Neumann for giving $100 to the GoFundMe page.
Excuse me Wardt01, what has your uncited ‘facts” have to do with the arrest of Ramon Morales Reyes? The answer is nothing.
The salient fact is how an individual played on the current administration’s irrational fear of immigrants as well as its xenophobia. ICE did exactly what Smith wanted them to do; deport the victim and witness against him, allowing to get out of the charges against him.