The family of a Milwaukee immigrant who was falsely accused of threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump is filing a legal claim against the federal government for $5.5 million in damages.
The man, 56-year-old Ramon Morales-Reyes, was arrested by immigration agents on May 22, 2025 after dropping off one of his kids at school.
He received national attention when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a press release six days later accusing him of penning a letter threatening to kill Trump. The government posted photos of Morales-Reyes on the White House and president's official social media channels with the accusations.
However, by that time, local and federal investigators were already aware that Morales-Reyes had likely been framed, according to the legal claim and reporting by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Milwaukee resident Demetric Scott, 53, later confessed to writing the letter and framing Morales-Reyes in an effort to prevent Morales-Reyes from testifying against him in an armed robbery case.
"Instead of waiting for law enforcement to complete their investigation, which exonerated Mr. Morales-Reyes, DHS thrusted Mr. Morales-Reyes into the national spotlight with its false statements," the claim says.
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