Washington, D.C. – In a letter yesterday to U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, House colleagues joined Third District Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) to express their deep concern over an improper and unwarranted criminal charge against U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean. The letter’s signatories include Reps. Ernest Istook (R-OK), Gary Miller (CA), Dana Rohrabacher (CA), Ed Royce (CA) and Tom Tancredo (R-CO), Chairman of the House Immigration Reform Caucus. Read More...

HOUSE COLLEAGUES JOIN JONES TO DECRY SENTENCING OF U.S. BORDER PATROL AGENTS, REQUEST PRESIDENTIAL PARDON Washington, D.C. – In a letter today to President George W. Bush, eleven House colleagues joined Third District Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) to express their deep disappointment over the sentencing of U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, and to request both an investigation and a Presidential Pardon to prevent the agents from unjustly going to prison for protecting our nation’s borders from an illegal drug smuggler. The letter’s signatories include Reps. Pete Sessions (R-TX), Ted Poe (R-TX), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Dan Burton (R-IN), Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), Gary Miller (R-CA), Sue Myrick (R-NC), Ed Royce (R-CA), Steve King (R-IA), Virgil Goode (R-VA) and Tom Tancredo (R-CO), Chairman of the House Immigration Reform Caucus. On October 19th, United States Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean were convicted and sentenced to 11 and 12 years in federal prison respectively. Both Ramos and Compean will appeal these sentences through their counsel. “Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean attempted to apprehend a Mexican drug smuggler who brought 743 pounds of marijuana across the U.S. border last year,” the letter states. “The two agents were prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the smuggler was granted full immunity to testify against the agents. Both men were convicted by a Texas jury for firing shots at the fleeing smuggler, who they believed carried a gun.” “During this case there have been numerous questions raised about the accuracy of the charges against the agents, the conduct of the prosecutor, and whether the drug smuggler was armed and dangerous at the border,” the letter continues. “We ask that a full investigation of this case be ordered immediately. We are confident that during such an investigation you will find that these border patrol agents were acting within the scope of their duty and were unjustly prosecuted,” the letter states. “Also, we ask that you use your power of Presidential Pardon, as granted by the United Stated Constitution in Article II, Section 2, to pardon these two border patrol agents. We understand these requests usually are for those that have already completed their sentences; however we feel in this case it would be a miscarriage of justice to send these two border patrol agents to prison for protecting our nation’s borders from an illegal drug smuggler.” “On January 17th, 2007, both agents Ramos and Compean must surrender themselves to federal authorities unless action is taken to overturn this unjust result. We ask that you use your power to both investigate this case and pardon these agents so to avoid the unjust prison sentence facing them,” the letter concludes. For additional information or to schedule an interview with Congressman Walter B. Jones please contact Kathleen Joyce at (202) 225-3415.