Introduction
In a stunning twist to a high-profile federal case Trump threat letter, U.S. officials now admit that Ramon Morales-Reyes, a 54-year-old undocumented immigrant previously accused of threatening to assassinate former President Donald Trump, was falsely implicated. According to new court filings, Morales-Reyes was framed by Demetric Deshawn Scott, who is now facing charges including identity theft and witness intimidation.
How the Threat Letter Hoax Unfolded
On May 22, Morales-Reyes was arrested after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a press statement claiming he sent a threatening letter to immigration officials. The letter contained a chilling promise to “shoot your precious president in his head” at a Trump rally before fleeing to Mexico. DHS even published the handwritten note and Morales-Reyes’s photo on social media.
However, subsequent investigations revealed a different story. Morales-Reyes, who speaks limited English and has markedly different handwriting, denied authorship. Court filings now confirm that Demetric Deshawn Scott admitted to writing the letters in an attempt to stop Morales-Reyes from testifying against him in an armed robbery case.
Scott’s Motive: Witness Intimidation
Scott is accused of assaulting Morales-Reyes with a corkscrew in an attempted robbery caught on a Milwaukee doorbell camera. His trial is scheduled for July. In his own admission, Scott said he wrote the letters to frame Morales-Reyes so the witness would not testify against him.
“When asked what was going through his head at the time of writing the letters, the defendant stated ‘Freedom,’” the court document reads.
Backlash Against DHS and Kristi Noem
Despite being cleared of the assassination threat, Morales-Reyes remains in immigration detention. DHS stated that he is in the country illegally and has a criminal record, though details of that record have not been made public.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had publicly posted Morales-Reyes’s image alongside the threat letter, saying, “This illegal alien who threatened to assassinate President Trump is behind bars.” The post remains online as of Wednesday, drawing criticism for spreading misinformation and potentially endangering Morales-Reyes and his family.
Legal Fallout and Deportation Proceedings
Morales-Reyes is set to appear in a deportation hearing at the Chicago Immigration Court. His lawyer, Cain Oulahan, expressed relief that the truth is out but said the family has been “traumatized” by the false accusations. The legal team is now pursuing a U visa, a special U.S. visa granted to crime victims cooperating with law enforcement. However, the current backlog for U visa applications stretches to 7–8 years.
Civil Rights Concerns and Media Missteps
Advocates are calling for the DHS to issue a public correction. Oulahan stated, “We believe the Department of Homeland Security should acknowledge their error and halt any further threats to Mr. Morales-Reyes and his family.”
This case has raised larger questions about due process, the rush to public judgment, and the use of immigration status in high-profile criminal narratives. It also underscores how misinformation—especially when amplified by government agencies—can have severe, real-world consequences.
Conclusion
The framing of Morales-Reyes for threatening Donald Trump is a chilling reminder of how vulnerable populations can become entangled in legal systems where politics, criminal cases, and immigration intersect. While the true author of the threats has confessed, the road to justice for Morales-Reyes is far from over.