Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shared a threatening letter on social media that turned out to be a hoax — just days before a Milwaukee man was hit with four felony charges for sending it.
The letter, which appeared to threaten to assassinate Donald Trump, was written in the name of an undocumented immigrant, Ramon Morales-Reyes. But prosecutors say the real author was Demetric Scott, a man who had previously been charged with assaulting Morales-Reyes.
Scott now faces four felonies for fabricating the letter in an apparent attempt to get Morales-Reyes deported and silence him as a witness.
The fake, handwritten letter was sent to the Wisconsin attorney general, Milwaukee police, and ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
It said: “We are tired of this president messing with us Mexicans – we have done more for this country than you white people – you have been deporting my family and I think it is time Donald J. Trump get what he has coming to him. I will self deport myself back to Mexico but not before I use my 30 yard 6 to shoot your precious president in the head – I will see him at one of his big ralleys.”
The letter was sent in mid-May. On May 22, ICE arrested Morales-Reyes — just one day after receiving the forged letter. That same week, Noem praised ICE and amplified the hoax, stating in a press release:
“Thanks to our ICE officers, this illegal alien who threatened to assassinate President Trump is behind bars.”
Her department also distributed a photo of the handwritten letter and a mugshot of Morales-Reyes to media outlets. Noem posted both on X (formerly Twitter), and the White House also promoted the story.
But the story quickly fell apart.
One of Morales-Reyes’ children contacted an immigrant rights group, saying he couldn’t have written the letter — because he can’t read or write in Spanish or English. Investigators later confirmed the handwriting didn’t match his, and that the threat wasn’t credible.
Scott, who is currently in Milwaukee County Jail, is also facing charges of armed robbery and aggravated battery, according to WISN-TV, an ABC affiliate in Milwaukee. Morales-Reyes was the victim in that case — he was allegedly attacked with a box cutter during a bike theft in September 2023.
A key piece of evidence came from a jailhouse phone call, in which Scott reportedly said:
“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.”
Morales-Reyes is a dishwasher in Milwaukee, living with his wife and three children. He had recently applied for a U visa — which is available to undocumented immigrants who are victims of serious crimes and help law enforcement.
Despite being cleared in the hoax, Morales-Reyes remains in ICE custody at a detention facility in Juneau, Wisconsin.
