Department of Justice "Unaware" of Congressional Request to Investigate the Prosecution of Two Border Patrol Agents
During the last year, Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean were criminally prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to serve years in prison for doing their job — protecting America from drug and illegal alien smugglers at our southern border. Those who have been following the case with us have been dismayed at the injustice of criminally prosecuting border patrol agents while granting immunity to a drug smuggler, who was carrying 743 pounds of marijuana into the U.S., to testify against the agents. The smuggler — who received medical care at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas — is now suing the Border Patrol for $5 million for violating his civil rights.
For months FAIR has been working with members of Congress to raise awareness of this case. One member who has been leading the charge is Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC). Over the past four months, Congressman Jones has written seven letters to the Bush administration regarding the Ramos and Compean case: three to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, one to Press Secretary Tony Snow, and three to President Bush himself. Indeed, one of the letters sent to Attorney General Gonzales was signed by 22 members of Congress; another by six members. However, during a radio interview on The Keith Larson Show (WBT Charlotte) this week, Attorney General Gonzales stated that he was "unaware" of the Congressman's letters.
However it may be that Attorney General Gonzales has not seen these letters, this inattention to the plight of two Border Patrol agents who risked their lives daily to protect our country from smugglers bringing drugs, guns, and illegal aliens into our country is unacceptable. Agents Ramos and Compean have been ordered to surrender to federal authorities on January 17th, 2007 to begin serving their prison sentences.
Please call Attorney General Gonzales and ask him to recommend to President Bush that these agents be pardoned! You can reach the Office of the Attorney General at (202) 353-1555.
During the last year, Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean were criminally prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to serve years in prison for doing their job — protecting America from drug and illegal alien smugglers at our southern border. Those who have been following the case with us have been dismayed at the injustice of criminally prosecuting border patrol agents while granting immunity to a drug smuggler, who was carrying 743 pounds of marijuana into the U.S., to testify against the agents. The smuggler — who received medical care at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas — is now suing the Border Patrol for $5 million for violating his civil rights.
For months FAIR has been working with members of Congress to raise awareness of this case. One member who has been leading the charge is Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC). Over the past four months, Congressman Jones has written seven letters to the Bush administration regarding the Ramos and Compean case: three to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, one to Press Secretary Tony Snow, and three to President Bush himself. Indeed, one of the letters sent to Attorney General Gonzales was signed by 22 members of Congress; another by six members. However, during a radio interview on The Keith Larson Show (WBT Charlotte) this week, Attorney General Gonzales stated that he was "unaware" of the Congressman's letters.
However it may be that Attorney General Gonzales has not seen these letters, this inattention to the plight of two Border Patrol agents who risked their lives daily to protect our country from smugglers bringing drugs, guns, and illegal aliens into our country is unacceptable. Agents Ramos and Compean have been ordered to surrender to federal authorities on January 17th, 2007 to begin serving their prison sentences.
Please call Attorney General Gonzales and ask him to recommend to President Bush that these agents be pardoned! You can reach the Office of the Attorney General at (202) 353-1555.
|