Congressman Calvert Signs on to Letter Requesting Immediate Hearing on Border Patrol Agents Case



Last week, Congressman Ken Calvert signed on to a letter requesting a congressional hearing on the prosecution and conviction of Border Patrol Agents Compean and Ramos.



"We should be commending Border Patrol agents for pursuing a fleeing drug smuggler, not sending them to prison based on the testimony of a criminal who received full immunity to testify." - Rep. Ken Calvert



The letter read:



The Honorable James Sensenbrenner, Jr.

Chairman

House Judiciary Committee

2138 Rayburn Building

Washington , D.C. 20510



Dear Chairman Sensenbrenner:



We are writing today to request the 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.



Both Ramos and Compean will appeal these overzealous and unjust sentences through their counsel. 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 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 the drug smuggler was not armed that day and in fact threatened Ramos and Compean; forcing them to fire their weapons to protect themsleves.



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. 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.