Milwaukee immigrant seeks $5.5 million from Trump administration over false assassination claims
A Milwaukee immigrant claims the Trump administration owes him and his family $5.5 million for falsely accusing him of threatening to assassinate the president.
MILWAUKEE —
A Milwaukee immigrant claims the Trump administration owes him and his family $5.5 million for falsely accusing him of threatening to assassinate the president.
Attorneys for Ramon Morales-Reyes filed a legal claim with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement over their online posts and statements in 2025. The legal claim paves the way for a possible lawsuit down the road.
The government’s posts came after another man, Demetric Scott, framed Morales-Reyes by posing as him in a letter threatening President Trump in May of 2025. ICE agents detained Morales-Reyes for three weeks at the time.
“The letter was in English. He can’t read or write in English, which was like really weird. It was super weird,” Morales Reyes’ son Antonio Morales told 12 News Friday.
The attorneys’ claim alleges DHS added a disclaimer to its online press release but has not fully retracted its statements or removed the posts.
“The lie went up on May 25th of 2025. They haven’t taken it down,” attorney Mark Thomsen said during a news conference at Voces de la Frontera Friday.
The family is asking for a retraction, an apology and compensation.
“You guys are using him and picturing immigrants as if they’re just criminals,” Morales-Reyes’ daughter Ana Morales said. “We come here for the American dream, and that’s what we’re here for. And thank you to my dad. We are Americans. We love America. I’m just a little disappointed for what they did.”
WISN 12 News has reached out to DHS for a response but have not heard back.
Morales-Reyes, who is a Mexico native and has called Milwaukee home the last 40 years, does still face deportation. His next removal proceedings is schedule for December.