[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 114 (Thursday, September 14, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6619-H6620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          UNJUST PROSECUTION OF TWO U.S. BORDER PATROL AGENTS

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to 
take the time of the gentleman from Texas.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from North 
Carolina is recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I am on the floor today to 
bring to the attention of the House a situation involving two U.S. 
Border Patrol agents. These agents were found guilty in a Federal Court 
for wounding a drug dealer, a smuggler, who brought 743 pounds of 
marijuana across our southern border into Texas. These agents now face 
up to 20 years in Federal prison.
  Agent Ramos served the Border Patrol for 9 years and was a former 
nominee for Border Patrol Agent of the Year. Agent Compean had 5 years 
of experience as a Border Patrol agent. These agents never should have 
been prosecuted for their actions last year.
  By attempting to apprehend a Mexican drug smuggler, these agents were 
simply doing their job to protect the American people. These agents 
should have been commended for their actions, but instead the U.S. 
Attorney's office prosecuted the agents and granted full immunity to 
the drug smuggler for his testimony against our agents. The drug 
smuggler received full medical care in El Paso, Texas, was permitted to 
return to Mexico, and is now suing the Border Patrol for $5 million for 
violating his constitutional rights. He is not an American citizen. He 
is a criminal.
  Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to numerous people inside Texas and 
outside of Texas regarding this outrage, including the attorney for one 
of these agents. I have written the President of the United States 
asking him to please look into this matter. I have written two letters 
to Attorney General Gonzalez asking him to reopen this case for a 
fuller investigation before these men are sentenced on October 19.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that the American people will agree that this 
prosecution is an outrageous injustice and that the situation must be 
investigated.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that fellow Members of the House will join me in 
this effort. I know Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee and Congressman 
Poe and Congressman Gohmert have all said that they want to join in 
this effort to find out what has happened. I believe this is an 
injustice that needs to be looked into by the Attorney General and by 
the Congress of the United States.

[[Page H6620]]

  Mr. Speaker, with that, before I yield back the balance of my time, I 
will ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform, both in 
Afghanistan and in Iraq and throughout the world, and I will ask God to 
please bless America.

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