Milwaukee immigrant framed for threatening President Trump has bond set by judge
CHICAGO (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee immigrant framed in a supposed assassination attempt on President Donald Trump has been granted bond. Ramon Morales-Reyes appeared virtually Tuesday morning from the Dodge County Jail in front of a Chicago immigration judge. She set his bond at $7,500 as she decided he is not a danger to the community or at flight risk.
“My dad is not a threat to anyone,” said Morales-Reyes’ daughter, Anna. Morales-Reyes has been in the United States for nearly 40 years, raising his children in Milwaukee, working as a dishwasher.
Immigration lawyer Cain Oulahan says Morales-Reyes is a “responsible person, father, hard worker, person who contributes to the community, it's clear and it's clear in the hearing and documents he's submitted, and people who love him.”
It was in September of 2023 when Demetric Scott reportedly robbed and assaulted Morales-Reyes. In an attempt to prevent Morales-Reyes from testifying against him, Scott admitted to writing a letter, as Morales-Reyes, threatening to kill President Trump.
Morales-Reyes has been held at Dodge County Jail, despite it being proven that he did not write those letters. His detention has his daughter worried and asking for her dad's release: “he is not a criminal. He's a hardworking man, a provider, and, most importantly, a father who pulls his family together. Without my dad, me and my siblings wouldn't be where we are today…. now that the truth has been proven, I ask from the bottom of my heart that he gets the justice he deserves,” said Anna.
Oulahan says this case presents itself as a much larger commentary on our political climate, “I see how this could happen in the climate we have, there's nothing stopping someone having a personal dispute with an immigrant, reporting them to ICE.”
Morales-Reyes' application for a U-Visa is still pending, as a victim of a crime.
Congresswoman Gwen Moore, meanwhile, is advocating for his release and asking the Department of Homeland Security to remove the false statement that an "illegal alien" threatened Trump.
DHS provided a statement on Morales-Reyes' bond being set:
“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.”
The government has one day to appeal the judge's decision. If the government does not appeal, Morales-Reyes' family can pay the $7,500 bond, and the release process could take between 1 and 3 days.
The man who admitted to writing the letters, Demetric Scott was set to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon. His case is set for a preliminary hearing on June 23 at 01:30 PM.