[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 156 (Tuesday, October 16, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H11619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             FREE AT LAST--DEPUTY SHERIFF GILMER HERNANDEZ

  (Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, Deputy Sheriff Gilmer Hernandez is one of three 
deputies in Edwards County, Texas. This county is the size of Delaware.
  While on duty at night recently in Rocksprings, Texas, an SUV ran a 
red light. Hernandez pulled the vehicle over. The vehicle sped off and 
then tried to run down Deputy Hernandez. He shot out the two tires in 
self-defense. It turned out the vehicle was smuggling nine illegals. 
One illegal was injured by a ricochet bullet. The Sheriff's Department 
and the Texas Rangers investigated the shooting and cleared Hernandez. 
But the Mexican Government demanded prosecution by the U.S. Justice 
Department, and over a year later the U.S. Attorney's office prosecuted 
Hernandez for alleged civil rights violations. The nine illegals and 
the human smuggler were allowed to stay in the United States. Hernandez 
was convicted and sent to prison. But yesterday he was released from 
prison and returned home to Rocksprings, Texas as a hero. The community 
sided with Deputy Hernandez and resents the U.S. Government freeing the 
human smuggler and the illegals and prosecuting Hernandez for just 
doing his job. Yet another example of how it seems the U.S. government 
is on the wrong side of the border war and seems to be the puppet and 
whims of the Mexican Government.
  And that's just the way it is.

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