JONES URGES CONGRESSIONAL HEARING TO EXAMINE CASE AGAINST U.S. BORDER PATROL AGENTS



Washington, D.C. - In a letter Friday to House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner, Third District Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) joined Representative Ted Poe (R-TX) and other House colleagues to request that the House Immigration Subcommittee hold an immediate hearing on two U.S. Border Patrol Agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, who were convicted and sentenced to 11 and 12 years in federal prison respectively for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler.



The letter's other signatories are Reps. Dan Burton (R-IN), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Steve King (R-IA), Gary Miller (R-CA), Sam Johnson (R-TX), Sue Myrick (R-NC), John Campbell (R-CA), John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN), Virgil Goode (R-VA), Ken Calvert (R-CA) and Tom Tancredo (R-CO), Chairman of the House Immigration Reform Caucus.



"Both Ramos and Compean will appeal these sentences through their counsel," the letter states. "However, their struggle to overturn these convictions would be greatly aided by a Congressional inquiry into their case. There are several discrepancies in this case which strongly question whether justice was served, thus demonstrating the need for an immediate Congressional hearing."




"Ramos and Compean were convicted mainly on the testimony of a habitual Mexican drug smuggler, who was given immunity by federal prosecutors to testify," the letter continues. "The integrity of this witness must be called into question, but a sealed indictment for drug charges forbade Ramos and Compean from doing so during their trial. Also, there is insufficient proof as to whether or not the drug smuggler was armed that day and in fact threatened Ramos and Compean, forcing them to fire their weapons to protect themselves."




"We believe that the lawful protection of our nation's borders is of the utmost importance and we should do everything we can to support the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol in pursuing that goal," the letter states. "By denying Congressional hearings to Ramos and Compean, we are effectively turning our backs on the Border Patrol and the duty we entrust to them to secure our borders."




"We ask that the Judiciary Committee's Immigration Subcommittee schedule a hearing before the 109th Congress adjourns to address the case of Ramos and Compean and the questionable facts that were used to sentence them to federal prison," the letter concludes.




On January 17th, 2007, both agents Ramos and Compean must surrender themselves to federal authorities unless action is taken to overturn their convictions.