2 days ago
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CHICAGO -- A antheral falsely accused of threatening President Donald Trump’s beingness faces deportation adjacent arsenic Wisconsin authorities accidental the Mexican migrant was framed and is simply a unfortunate of a violent 2023 attack.
Ramón Morales Reyes was thrust into the nationalist spotlight past week erstwhile Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused him of penning letters threatening Trump.
Agency officials softly acknowledged Wednesday that Morales Reyes is nary longer a fishy successful that threat, a time aft different antheral was charged successful Wisconsin for forging the letters. But Trump medication societal media posts blasting Morales Reyes arsenic a imaginable statesmanlike assassin remained online.
Attorneys for Morales Reyes accidental helium isn't a information to the public, and activists judge he’s a scapegoat successful an increasing hostile situation for immigrants. Meanwhile, national authorities accidental they’re pushing up with deportation successful portion due to the fact that the 54-year-old doesn’t person ineligible support to unrecorded successful the country.
Here are things to cognize astir the case:
Morales Reyes immigrated from Mexico successful the 1980s, according to his attorney. A joined antheral with 3 U.S. national children, helium worked arsenic a dishwasher successful Milwaukee.
Federal migration agents took him into custody past period aft helium dropped his girl astatine school.
Days aboriginal Noem blasted his photograph connected societal media, on with an excerpt of a missive helium purportedly wrote successful English calling for Trump to beryllium changeable astatine a rally. The apprehension was held up by the White House and Trump supporters arsenic a occurrence successful the administration’s aggressive crackdown connected immigration.
But the details rapidly unraveled, including the information that Morales Reyes doesn’t talk English good and can’t constitute successful the language.
On Tuesday, authorities successful Wisconsin charged Demetric D. Scott of forging the missive successful an effort to blasted Morales Reyes, a imaginable witnesser against him successful a 2023 attack. Scott is accused of knocking Morales Reyes disconnected his bicycle, injuring him with a container cutter and past taking the bike, according to tribunal records.
Court documents said instrumentality enforcement officials listened to calls Scott made astir the letters and a crippled to person idiosyncratic picked up by migration agents, each aiming to person the equipped robbery and aggravated artillery charges dismissed. He besides admitted to constabulary that helium wrote the letters, documents said.
Scott, who is successful the Milwaukee County Jail, is awaiting a July trial. He's owed successful tribunal connected Tuesday connected the newer charges, including felony witnesser intimidation and individuality theft.
A connection near Tuesday for the authorities nationalist defender’s bureau wasn’t instantly returned. Scott's attorneys person antecedently declined comment.
Earlier this year, Morales Reyes applied for a U visa, which is for radical successful the state illegally who go victims of superior crimes. The exertion was pending, according to his attorneys.
Morales Reyes has been detained astatine Dodge Detention Center successful Juneau, which is astir 70 miles (112.65 kilometers) northbound of Milwaukee.
Homeland Security officials person not publically corrected the accusation connected the statesmanlike threat.
Instead they’ve doubled down connected pursuing an migration lawsuit against him. They allege Morales Reyes entered the state illegally astatine slightest 9 times betwixt 1998 and 2005 and that helium has a transgression background.
“This transgression amerciable alien is nary longer nether probe for threats against the President, but volition stay successful ICE custody pending removal proceedings,” DHS said successful a connection Wednesday.
Morales Reyes is accused of 2 incidents successful 1996, according to his attorneys.
In 1 helium was arrested for damaging spot successful a hit-and-run but not charged. In different helium was ticketed for disorderly behaviour and transgression harm aft a quality with his wife. No 1 was injured, according to his attorney.
Attorneys for Morales Reyes said the accusation connected the menace should beryllium corrected rapidly arsenic their lawsuit and his household are facing harassment and threats.
“This medication has jumped rapidly to marque announcements that they deliberation volition play good to their communicative of immigrants being dangerous,” said lawyer Cain Oulahan.
Immigrant rights advocates person rallied astir Morales Reyes, including a radical who stood extracurricular a downtown Chicago migration tribunal Wednesday up of a little proceeding successful the deportation case. Several held a ample banner that read, “Stop Scapegoating Immigrants.”
Morales Reyes, wearing a greenish jailhouse jumpsuit, appeared via livestream. He spoke done a Spanish interpreter, saying helium understood the case.
Oulahan told the justice that helium was hoping for a speedy resolution, considering the nationalist accusations made against Morales Reyes. He’s seeking for Morales Reyes to beryllium released connected bond.
A authorities lawyer told the justice she didn’t person immoderate accusation astir the menace accusation.
Immigration Judge Carla Espinoza said much clip was needed to reappraisal documents. She acceptable different proceeding for June 10.
The concern has been hard for Morales Reyes and his relatives.
“He’s a household man. This has been highly stressful connected him,” said Oulahan. “He’s precise worried."
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