Ramon Morales-Reyes’ story makes for tragic reading—an undocumented immigrant thrown into a Kafkaesque scenario. He is under indictment for felony assault and 10 counts of felony forgery. In the most recent incident, which took place in early September 2023, he was reportedly slashed with a box cutter when someone tried to steal his bike. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has since detained Morales-Reyes at a facility in Juneau, Wisconsin. He’s under indictment for a threatening forged letter addressed to former President Donald Trump, which was threatening to cause Trump’s death.
Things took a turn for the dramatic when ICE later received a handwritten letter that was supposedly from Morales-Reyes. The letter drew attention by denouncing Trump’s immigration policies and even included a specific threat to shoot him at one of his rallies. Prosecutors allege that the letter was falsified, with Morales-Reyes’ name signed without permission. This new development has led many to question whether he was given due process for his rights and the legitimacy of the accusations against him.
Kristi Noem, the new homeland security secretary, commended immigration officers for their quick response in capturing Morales-Reyes. In doing so, she underscored the danger he presented to our national security. In her statement, she said:
“Thanks to our ICE officers, this illegal alien who threatened to assassinate President Trump is behind bars.” – Kristi Noem
Those handwritten letters were then delivered by hand to agencies such as Wisconsin’s AG and the police department of Milwaukee. This has led to increased scrutiny regarding the way that this investigation was conducted. Now, many are second-guessing whether Morales-Reyes even needed to be arrested in the first place.
Morales-Reyes’ family talk avidly in support of him. One of his kids has reached out to an immigrant rights organization to just say that he couldn’t have written the letters because he’s illiterate in Spanish and English. They continue to insist that he has been falsely charged and that the real killer is out there.
Fort Worth Police have named Demetric Scott as the other man in the video, who attacked Morales-Reyes. He remains in custody at Milwaukee County Jail, charged with armed robbery and aggravated battery. Scott is looking at 4 separate felony counts for allegedly trying to set Morales-Reyes up by sending the forged letters. Investigators think Scott was trying to draw suspicion away from himself by framing Morales-Reyes as the one making threats against Trump.
Scott’s claimed motives become even more puzzling when looking at a release he issued outlining his plans to do just that. He asserted that should ICE detain Morales-Reyes, he would likely never see the inside of a jury trial. This suggested an intentional plan to avoid accountability for his behavior.
“If he gets picked up by ICE, there won’t be a jury trial, so they will probably dismiss it that day. That’s my plan.” – Demetric Scott
This is a hugely consequential case. It’s a must-watch as it exposes the plight and dangers undocumented immigrants thrown into these existentially tenuous legal contexts. Given the current climate of justice and accountability in the United States as it relates to immigration issues specifically, the case of Morales-Reyes forces us to confront these questions.
As the case continues to develop, immigrant justice advocates are calling for a complete investigation. They still seek answers, both on the forged letters and on what steps law enforcement officials took before and after these letters went out. They call for greater transparency, accountability, and equity in protecting the legal battles that people with stories, like Morales-Reyes.