Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made headlines recently claiming that an illegal immigrant had threatened to assassinate President Donald Trump.

In a social media post, Noem included a photo of the arrested man—54-year-old Ramon Morales Reyes—and an image of the threatening letter, which promised to “self deport” after killing Trump. “Thanks to our ICE officers, this illegal alien…is behind bars,” she wrote. The Department of Homeland Security also issued a press release about the arrest.

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The post quickly gained traction, with Trump allies using it to reinforce concerns about the threat they say undocumented migrants pose. However, new developments suggest the situation may not be as it first appeared.

Investigators suspect a frame job

Law enforcement officials now believe Reyes may have been the victim of a setup. According to CNN, multiple sources familiar with the investigation said the letter did not originate with Reyes. Instead, they suspect the letter was written by someone involved in a separate criminal case in which Reyes is the victim. The likely motive: to have Reyes deported before the trial.

Federal agents interviewed Reyes and collected a handwriting sample, which reportedly did not match the writing on the letter. Additional evidence, including jailhouse calls, pointed to another individual who allegedly sought out addresses where the letters were sent.

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Legal status overshadows investigative findings

While investigators have found no credible evidence that Reyes authored the threat, DHS maintains he entered the US illegally at least nine times between 1998 and 2005. Reyes remains in custody due to his immigration status and prior arrests, though he has not been charged in connection with the alleged threat.