The Unjust Prosecution of Former Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean

Floor Speech

THE UNJUST PROSECUTION OF FORMER BORDER PATROL AGENTS RAMOS AND COMPEAN -- (House of Representatives - September 10, 2007)

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.

Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, today is the 237th day of incarceration for two former U.S. Border Patrol agents. Agent Ramos and Compean were convicted in March of 2006 for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler who brought 743 pounds of marijuana across our border into Texas. These agents have now been in prison for more than 7 months.

Since the agents' conviction, thousands of American citizens and dozens of Members of Congress have asked President Bush to pardon these two men. Mr. Speaker, many in this country are disappointed that the present sentence of Scooter Libby was commuted while these two law enforcement officers are still in prison. Mr. Libby did not spend one day in prison; yet two decorated Border Patrol agents with exemplary records, who were doing their duty to protect the American people from an illegal alien drug smuggler, are serving 11- and 12-year prison sentences. By attempting to apprehend an illegal alien drug smuggler, these agents were enforcing our laws, not breaking them.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Judiciary Chairman John Conyers for his concern and interest in this case. I also want to thank Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Chairman Bill Delahunt, who, prior to the August recess, held a hearing to examine the Mexican Government's influence in this case. I am hopeful that Chairman John Conyers will see to it that the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing within the next 30 to 45 days to fully examine this case.

While the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on this case in July, additional questions remain about how this prosecution was initiated and how the U.S. Attorney's Office proceeded in this case. Since that time, it has become clear that not only did the prosecution prevent the jury from hearing evidence that the smuggler brought a second load of drugs across our border, but the smuggler was given free access to our country during and after the second smuggling incident.

The American people want to know, why did the U.S. Attorney's Office continue to prosecute these two border agents even after the credibility of the drug smuggler was shattered? This is a question that U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton needs to answer. By shedding light on the questionable actions of the prosecution in this case, I am hopeful that this gross miscarriage of justice can be corrected.

Before closing, Mr. Speaker, I call on the White House again to look seriously at the situation. These two border agents are Hispanic Americans who have served this Nation, and they have a right to justice. This is an example of an injustice.

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