U.S. Rep. Ron Barber's Statement on Murder of Border Patrol Agent

Statement

U.S. Rep. Ron Barber, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, released the following statement about today's shooting death of a Border Patrol agent near Bisbee in Barber's Southern Arizona district. A second agent was wounded and is hospitalized, recovering from his injuries.

Today, for the second time in less than two years, a Border Patrol agent was murdered in the line of duty as he patrolled the Southern Arizona desert.

This is a powerful reminder that our borders are far from secure and that every day the courageous men and women of the Border Patrol put their lives on the line while protecting the citizens of Arizona and the United States.

It is especially tragic that the agent who was killed today worked at a station named in honor of Brian A. Terry, a Border Patrol agent slain in the line of duty in December 2010. I was honored to help dedicate the station in Brian Terry's name two weeks ago and today I am deeply pained that we now mourn the death of another agent from that same station.

We need to redouble our efforts to secure the border and ensure the safety of Border Patrol agents. We cannot cede one foot of American soil to these cross-border bandits. And we must never forget that the men and women of the Border Patrol are on the front lines defending our country.

This morning I spoke to Border Patrol leaders for the Tucson Sector to offer my condolences to the men and women of the Border Patrol. My thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of the agent who today made the ultimate sacrifice for his country.

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