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Homeland Security Secretary KristiNoem drew attention this week to a supposed assassination plot: she said an undocumented migrant mailed a letter vowing to shoot President Trump and then "self‑deport" to Mexico. She posted both the letter and a booking photo online, praising ICE agents for the arrest and warning the media to "tone down the rhetoric."

Investigators aren't convinced
The detainee, 54‑year‑old RamónMoralesReyes, is now believed to have been set up. Handwriting samples do not match the letter, and recorded jail calls suggest that another individual—awaiting trial for assaulting Reyes—orchestrated the threat to intimidate the victim and influence the case.

Legal limbo
Reyes remains in ICE custody owing to past illegal entries dating back to 1998, but he faces no criminal charges related to the threat. Local police are investigating identity theft and witness intimidation; federal prosecutors have not filed a case.

The incident underscores rising political tension: while genuine threats do exist, officials caution against weaponising such claims without solid evidence.