Immigrant Who Prosecutors Say Was Framed for Threat Can Be Freed, Judge Says

On Tuesday, an immigration judge made a significant ruling regarding a case that has drawn both local and national attention. The judge decided that Ramon Morales Reyes, an undocumented immigrant who had been falsely accused of threatening to assassinate former President Donald Trump, could be released from detention on bond while federal immigration authorities continue their efforts to deport him.

Mr. Morales Reyes, a Mexican national who had been working as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Milwaukee, was arrested in May following allegations made by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agency claimed he had authored a threatening letter directed at President Trump, a serious accusation that initially placed him under investigation and in detention. However, shortly after the arrest, a startling development came to light: local prosecutors in Wisconsin determined that Morales Reyes had been deliberately framed by another man—Demetric D. Scott.

According to prosecutors, Mr. Scott, who is a longtime resident of Wisconsin, had written the threatening letter himself with the explicit intention of having Morales Reyes arrested and detained by immigration authorities. The alleged motive was to prevent Mr. Morales Reyes from testifying as a key witness in an upcoming robbery trial in which Mr. Scott was the defendant.

Despite these revelations and the fact that prosecutors have since charged Mr. Scott with identity theft and witness intimidation, the DHS did not immediately update the original public statements it had made online. The initial DHS news release not only accused Morales Reyes of making threats against the president but also included his photo and an image of the handwritten letter in question, which was penned in blue ink. Although the agency has since added a disclaimer at the bottom of the webpage stating that Morales Reyes is “no longer under investigation for threats against the president,” the core of the accusatory content remained accessible on the site as of Tuesday morning.

During Tuesday’s immigration hearing, which was conducted via video conference, Immigration Judge Carla Espinoza made it clear that she saw no current threat posed by Mr. Morales Reyes. “I find that the respondent does not currently pose a danger to the community,” Judge Espinoza stated, as she approved the release of Mr. Morales Reyes on a $7,500 bond.

The ruling leaves the government with a limited time frame—until next month—to file an appeal against the judge’s decision. Interestingly, during the hearing itself, the DHS attorney did not object to the bond ruling. In fact, during a prior session, the government lawyer had already acknowledged that Mr. Morales Reyes would likely be eligible for bond.

Judge Espinoza, who presides over immigration cases at the federal immigration court in Chicago, reviewed Mr. Morales Reyes’s criminal history and noted that although he had been arrested in 1996, his only known conviction was for disorderly conduct. No evidence was presented to suggest any involvement in more serious or violent criminal activity.

Appearing on video from a detention facility in Wisconsin, Morales Reyes wore a green prison uniform and communicated with the court through a Spanish-language interpreter. The hearing was emotional for those involved, as it marked a significant step forward in what had become a convoluted and deeply troubling case.

In response to inquiries, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, reiterated that although Morales Reyes was no longer being investigated for the alleged threats, he remains in the United States without legal status and has a prior arrest record. “The Trump administration is dedicated to restoring the rule of law and carrying out the president’s directive to deport individuals who are in this country unlawfully,” Ms. McLaughlin stated. “DHS will persist in its efforts to detain and remove undocumented immigrants who lack legal authorization to remain in the United States.”

Nevertheless, supporters of Morales Reyes have called on the agency to fully retract or correct the misleading information in its original news release. They argue that the continued public display of false accusations harms both his reputation and his family’s sense of safety.

Attorney Cain W. Oulahan, who represents Mr. Morales Reyes, expressed optimism after the hearing. “We’re very encouraged by the judge’s decision,” he said in a written statement. “Our goal now is to post the bond as soon as possible so that Ramon can reunite with his loved ones. Justice demands that he be allowed to return to his family without further delay.”

One of Mr. Morales Reyes’s most prominent advocates is Representative Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Wisconsin. She visited him in jail last Friday and later shared her impressions with the public. “Ramon is very worried about his family’s safety and the false information still being circulated,” Moore said. “But what struck me most during our visit was his remarkable capacity for forgiveness.” According to Moore, Mr. Morales Reyes said he held no ill will toward Mr. Scott, the man accused of framing him.

The relationship between Scott and Morales Reyes predates the false threat letter incident. According to legal records and statements from prosecutors, the two men were previously involved in a violent encounter in 2023. That year, Mr. Scott was charged with robbery and accused of attacking Morales Reyes with a box cutter while stealing a bicycle. Scott has pleaded not guilty to that charge and is currently being held in custody as he awaits trial, scheduled for July.

Further details emerged through court records describing a detective’s interview with Mr. Scott, in which Scott allegedly confessed to orchestrating the scheme to frame Morales Reyes. According to the detective’s written account, Scott admitted to writing multiple letters and intentionally including threats against President Trump. He believed that such content would guarantee a rapid and forceful law enforcement response, leading to Morales Reyes being detained by federal agents before the robbery case could proceed.

“The suspect explained that he included the presidential threat specifically because he knew it would trigger a Secret Service investigation, ensuring that law enforcement would go directly to Mr. Morales Reyes’s residence,” the detective stated in the court documents.

Despite the serious implications of this manipulation and the subsequent harm it caused an innocent man, the DHS has not indicated whether it will revise or retract the news release in its entirety. As of now, Morales Reyes remains at the center of a deportation case, even though the foundation for his recent arrest was based entirely on a fabricated accusation.

His supporters and legal team continue to push for a resolution that acknowledges the wrongs he has suffered and allows him the opportunity to remain in the United States with his family while the legal process unfolds. With public pressure mounting and the legal facts now more fully established, all eyes are on DHS to determine whether it will take steps to correct its error—or continue pursuing the deportation of a man who, by multiple legal accounts, was unjustly targeted.