Hunter Introduces Legislation to Pardon Convicted Border Patrol Agents

For Immediate Release

January 18, 2007 CONTACT: Joe Kasper (202) 225-5672

Hunter Introduces Legislation to Pardon Convicted Border Patrol Agents

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) introduced the Congressional Pardon for Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean Act. The legislation pardons convicted Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who reported to prison yesterday to begin serving 11 and 12 year sentences respectively. The conviction derived from an incident involving their efforts to apprehend a drug smuggler on the international border with Mexico.

"The Border Patrol is America’s first line of defense against the constant and unrelenting efforts of drug and human smugglers to illegally enter the United States," said Congressman Hunter. "Agents Compean and Ramos fulfilled their responsibilities as Border Patrol agents and rightfully pursued a suspected and fleeing drug smuggler. It is irresponsible to punish them with jail time.

"The security situation on our Southern land border requires a strong law enforcement presence. This conviction demoralizes our nation’s Border Patrol and sends a clear message that we are not serious about protecting our borders and enforcing our immigration laws.

"We cannot turn our back on Agents Compean and Ramos or the rest of the men and women proudly serving in the U.S. Border Patrol. These two agents deserve our full support and the Congressional pardon provided by this legislation."

In addition to introducing the Congressional Pardon for Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean Act, Congressman Hunter contacted the Federal Bureau of Prisons and personally requested that Agents Compean and Ramos be segregated from the general prison population in order to ensure their safety.

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Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) was just on with John and Ken and said that he has co-sponsored, with Duncan Hunter, a bill that would provide for a congressional pardon of Border Patrol Agents Compean and Ramos. He said they have "been working our side of the aisle today" and already have 67 Republicans signed on. He said tomorrow they will start working on the Democrats. Regardless, he said the bill "went into the hopper tonight."

Congressman Royce admitted that if this pardon flies it would be "ground-breaking," but states that they are drawing their precedent from 1986; in effect, "Congress granted a pardon to 12 million illegal aliens, so why can't we pardon these two Border Patrol Agents?"