A Wisconsin man accused of sending a threatening letter to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office, purportedly vowing to shoot President Donald Trump, may have been framed in an effort to have him deported, according to his lawyers and reports. Law enforcement sources familiar with the situation have indicated to CNN and the Associated Press that federal officials believe Ramon Morales Reyes did not write the letter that led to his arrest and public identification.
Morales Reyes’ attorneys and immigrant advocates have stated that the Mexico native has very little formal education and cannot read or write in Spanish, let alone English. They assert that he is a victim in a criminal case that appears to have motivated the setup.
At a press conference on Friday, Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, said that Morales Reyes’ family informed their organization that the accusations were impossible due to his lack of literacy. His attorney, Kime Abduli, has called for a clarification and correction from Homeland Security to clear Morales Reyes’ name.
According to the AP, federal officials suspect that Morales Reyes was framed to prevent him from testifying in an assault case against a family member.
Morales Reyes was arrested by ICE on May 22 and booked at the Dodge County Jail in Juneau, Wisconsin, pending removal proceedings as he was in the U.S. illegally. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a press release that included a screenshot of the letter in question.
The one-page letter stated, “You have been deporting my family and I think it is time Donald J. Trump get what he has coming to him. We are tired of this President messing with us Mexicans. We have done more for this country than you white people.” The letter, which was received by an ICE field intelligence officer on May 21, also mentioned self-deportation but included a threat to shoot the president with a .30-06 rifle at one of his rallies. The letter contained several spelling errors.
Federal law enforcement sources, speaking anonymously, have confirmed that a handwriting sample provided by Morales Reyes did not match the letter, leading them to believe he did not write it. While they did not consider the letter a credible threat, Homeland Security allegedly proceeded with accusing him.
A source familiar with the situation told CNN that law enforcement officials reviewed jail calls allegedly made by a suspect believed to be responsible for framing Morales Reyes. During these calls, the suspect reportedly asked about addresses, including one for the ICE office that received the letter. The Milwaukee Police Department has confirmed it is investigating an “identity theft and victim intimidation incident” related to the case, and the county district attorney’s office is also probing the allegations, as is DHS.
A senior Homeland Security official stated that the investigation into the threat is ongoing and that Morales Reyes was determined to be in the country illegally with a criminal record, thus he will remain in custody.
Morales Reyes reportedly works as a dishwasher in Milwaukee and lives with his wife and three children. He recently applied for a U visa, which is granted to victims of serious crimes. His attorney, Cain Oulahan, believes Morales Reyes deserves to have his name cleared.
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