An undocumented immigrant allegedly framed for sending letters threatening to kill the president was granted bond Tuesday by a Chicago immigration judge.
Judge Carla Espinoza set bond at $7,500 for Ramon Morales Reyes and scheduled removal proceedings for July 10. If Morales-Reyes posts bond, the court will reschedule his hearing.
Morales-Reyes, who was arrested on May 22 in connection with the threats, is no longer under investigation for making them. Federal investigators now say another man, Demetric Scott, 52, allegedly sent the threatening letters while posing as Morales Reyes in an effort to prevent him from testifying in a criminal case.
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According to court documents, Scott mailed letters threatening to assassinate the president to the attorney general's office, ICE officials and police, signing them with Morales-Reyes’ name. Scott now faces multiple felony charges.
Despite clearing Morales Reyes of involvement in the threats, the Department of Homeland Security is still pursuing his deportation.
“DHS will continue to fight for the arrest, detention, and removal of illegal aliens who have no right to be in this country,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Tuesday. She added that while Morales-Reyes is no longer being investigated for the threats, “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,” McLaughlin said.
The DHS has until July 10 to appeal the judge’s decision.
This story was originally reported by Jay Sirkin with the Scripps News Group in Milwaukee.
