Border fence fiasco

Last week Customs and Border Protection officials reported that two months after Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff approved a $20 million virtual fence along a 28-mile stretch in Arizona (called Project 28), the fence was scrapped as impractical and ineffective.

Is anyone really shocked by this security fence fiasco? Another government solution bites the dust.

Read entire article, 4-28-08

From Mexico, Drug Violence Spills Into U.S., 4-20-08

Brutality Gives Rise to Formidable New Problems for Both Countries

PUERTO PALOMAS, Mexico -- Javier Emilio Pérez Ortega, a workaholic Mexican police chief, showed up at the sleepy, two-lane border crossing here last month and asked U.S. authorities for political asylum.

Behind him, law and order was vanishing fast. In the four months he had served as Puerto Palomas police chief, drug traffickers had threatened to kill him and his officers if they tried to block the flow of cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamines into the United States, his former colleagues said on condition of anonymity.

Read entire article, 4-20-08

U.S. faces 'grave threat' in drug fight, 1-21-08

Mexican military efforts to crush heavily armed drug-smuggling operations in five cities along the U.S.-Mexico border pose a "grave threat" to U.S. authorities and a half-million Americans in the area, according to former U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Naturalization Service officials. Read more

Ramos, Compean pardons? 'No,' 'No,' says Bush rep, 12-22-07

Spokesman won't allow questions to be asked

The White House apparently is so reluctant to discuss the issue of pardons or commutations for convicted U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean that a spokesman doesn't even want to allow questions about the issue to be finished.

Read entire article, 12-22-07

Ramos, Compean abandoned in Bush pardons, 12-13-07

Moonshiner, thieves, drug dealers get help
But Ramos, Compean abandoned in Bush pardons

Carjackers, drug dealers, thieves and a moonshiner have been granted pardons this year by President Bush, but not Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who were convicted of firing their guns at a fleeing drug smuggler while they were protecting the integrity of the U.S. border with Mexico.

Read entire article, December 13, 2007

CBP Officers Seize Almost 9 Tons of Marijuana Valued at $67 Million; Largest Ever at Calexico, 11-19-07

CBP Officers Seize Almost 9 Tons of Marijuana Valued at $67 Million; Largest Ever at Calexico, Calif. Port

Calexico, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Calexico, Calif. east commercial facility detained a Mexican truck driver after they discovered 8.85 tons of marijuana commingled with a shipment of television screens at the port Friday afternoon, Port Director Billy Whitford said today.


The 25-year-old driver, a resident of Mexicali, was registered in the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program and was driving a 1992 GMC tractor-trailer with a shipment manifested as flat screen televisions.

Read entire article, November 19, 2007

Christian leaders join effort to free border agents

A group of conservative leaders and evangelical Christian leaders have joined the movement to free El Paso Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, sending a letter to President Bush to appeal to his "Christian values."

"We sincerely feel that your inaction and lack of immediacy to personally address the inhumane treatment of these two agents runs counter to the tenets of a compassionate conservative and the Christian values that many of your supporters find a sustaining beacon of your presidency," the Nov. 19 letter read.

Read entire article, 11/19/2007

Pressure mounts to pardon Border agents, 11-18-07

Top conservatives have joined ranking House leaders in their bid to pressure the president to pardon two jailed El Paso Border Patrol agents for the nonfatal shooting of a Mexican drug smuggler in 2005.

In a letter to be delivered tomorrow to the White House, 31 major conservative petitioners joined a campaign being led by Rep. Duncan Hunter, California Republican and presidential candidate, to ask President Bush to pardon Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean before Thanksgiving.

Read entire article, November 18, 2007

Columnists Debate Candidness in US-Mexico Border Issues

Is it better for the public not to know about problems on the U.S.-Mexican border?

The problem of Mexican soldiers and pseudo-soldiers aiding drug smugglers crossing the border is well-documented. It has been admitted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and has been the subject of testimony to Congress.

Read entire article, November 12, 2007

Texas deputy freed from prison

Says Mexican consulate, prosecutor set him up

A former deputy sheriff in Texas, jailed for shooting at a van loaded with illegal aliens whose driver was trying to run him down, has been released from prison and says he was set up by the Mexican consulate and the prosecutor.

Former Deputy Sheriff Gilmer Hernandez was released yesterday from a halfway house, finishing the prison term to which he was sentenced for the shooting incident, in which two fleeing Mexican illegal aliens were wounded. He was in federal prison from Dec. 1, 2006, to Sept. 13, 2007, about 10 and a half months. WorldNetDaily.com, October 16, 2007

Airshow cancels Minutemen booth

Organizers want to avoid 'distraction' of threatened protest

HESPERIA — The Victor Valley Airshow Association told a local Minutemen chapter Wednesday morning that they cannot have a booth at the annual airshow Saturday after an immigrant rights activist threatened to stage a protest. Daily Press, September 12, 2007

Border Patrol chief rejects mission against aliens, drugs

A Border Patrol chief at one of the nation's most dangerous Southwest border crossings says the agency's mission doesn't include apprehending illegal aliens or seizing narcotics — perplexing front-line agents and angering a congressional critic of illegal immigration. WashingtonTimes.com, August 26, 2007

Bush put on spot: Where's the fence?

Despite $800 million in funding, only 18 of 854 miles completed

With only a small fraction of the border fence between the U.S. and Mexico complete, California congressman and Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter is warning President Bush the construction mandated by the Secure Fence Act is falling drastically behind schedule. WorldNetDaily.com, August 23, 2007

Mexico accused of framing border agent

Allegedly withholding witnesses who can exonerate officer

Mexico is withholding key witnesses that could exonerate Border Patrol agent Nicholas Corbett of second-degree murder charges and paying for others to testify against him, asserts a union leader.


Brandon Judd, vice president of U.S. Border Patrol Union Local 2544, told WND the Mexican consulate is taking care of all the expenses of three Mexican witnesses to the shooting so they can remain in the U.S. to testify against Corbett. WorldNetDaily.com, August 11, 2007

Hunter stresses need for border fence

Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter kicked off The Des Moines Register's Soapbox candidate appearances Thursday at the Iowa State Fair with his calls for beefed-up national defense, an expanded border fence and more manufacturing jobs. DesMoinesRegister.com, August 10, 2007

U.S. military headed next for Mexican soil?

Help in war on drug cartels on coming SPP summit agenda

A Texas congressman is leading discussions with the White House to develop a military plan to assist Mexico in the war President Felipe Calderón is waging against the drug cartels.

Yolanda Urrabazo, spokeswoman for Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, told WND the discussions involve the possibility of utilizing the U.S. military directly in the effort in addition to providing military assistance. WorldNetDaily.com, August 10, 2007

Hearing to Examine the Prosecution of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean

Read Judiciary Committee testimony on the case

FBI: Iraqis Being Smuggled Across the Rio Grande

The FBI is investigating an alleged human smuggling operation based in Chaparral, N.M., that agents say is bringing "Iraqis and other Middle Eastern" individuals across the Rio Grande from Mexico. abcnews.com, July 17, 2007

Mexican Drug Cartels Farms on US Soil

Mexican cartels have taken over some US National Parks and NOBODY is doing or saying anything about it except Lou Dobbs. Watch Lou Dobbs on Youtube.com.

Sutton grilled in Ramos-Compean hearing

Senators probe prosecution of imprisoned Border Patrol agents

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein concluded a Senate hearing today on the high-profile prosecution of former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean with a vow to look further into why prosecutors charged the men with a violation that requires a mandatory 10-year sentence. WorldNetDaily.com, July 17, 2007

Eagle Forum Urges President Bush to Pardon Border Guards

WASHINGTON, July 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Eagle Forum, a leading pro- family organization founded by Phyllis Schlafly, urges President Bush to pardon convicted U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. Ramos and Compean, who are currently serving 11- and 12-year prison sentences, were guarding the Mexican border near El Paso, TX on February 17, 2005 when they intercepted a van carrying 743 pounds of marijuana. They attempted to stop the illegal drug-smuggler. They were convicted for allegedly shooting one bullet into the buttocks of the drug-smuggler and for failing to report the discharge of their firearms. prnewswire.com, July 17, 2007

15 questions for Johnny Sutton

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein will preside over a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining the prosecution of former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.

The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at 10 a.m.

WorldNetDaily.com, July 13, 2007

Read our Alert

SENATE TO EXAMINE BORDER GUARDS’ CASE

Urge your Senators to Support a Presidential Pardon for Ramos and Compean!

In light of his recent commutation of Scooter Libby’s prison sentence, not to mention his pardoning of five drug dealers this past Christmas, President Bush certainly should have no objection to extending the same courtesy to U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. The timing couldn’t be more perfect for the U.S. Senate to hold a hearing to examine the events that led to the unjust prosecution of the two border guards and to recommend a presidential pardon.

Read ALERT, July 12, 2007

Attorney makes many enemies

U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, a longtime ally of President Bush, is being targeted by lawmakers and others across the country because of his successful prosecution of three U.S. Border Patrol agents and a deputy sheriff on charges of violating the civil rights of illegal aliens. THE WASHINGTON TIMES, April 13, 2007

Arrest prompts Border Patrol case questions

An arrest in a drug case involving thousands of pounds of marijuana brought from Mexico into the U.S. is raising anew questions about the prosecution of former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who shot at a fleeing drug smuggler in a confrontation in 2005, then were convicted for that shooting and now are serving prison terms of 11 and 12 years. WorldNetDaily.com, April 5, 2007

Open Letter To President Bush

I am glad to see that you fired some U.S. Attorneys. But you missed one: U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, who prosecuted Border Guards Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean instead of a professional drug smuggler, and who prosecuted Texas Deputy Sheriff Gilmer Hernandez instead of a professional people smuggler. Phyllis Schlafly column, 4-04-07

Lou Dobbs Special on Ramos and Compean

Lou Dobbs Special -- CNN -- March 27
Rep. Poe (R-Tx) :The government had to chose in this case. They had to chose between prosecuting a drug smuggler bringing in a million dollars worth of drugs, or prosecuting two border agents that didn't. A chief Barker said, follow protocol and fill out certain forms. And the federal government chose poorly. They chose to prosecute the border protectors instead of prosecute the drug smugglers. And now we have apparently learned that the drug smuggler brought in another load.
Watch Segments 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Read Transcript

Illegals to sue imprisoned deputy sheriff

Mexicans say civil rights violated when injured during escape from officer

In a case eerily reminiscent of the controversial jailing of Border Patrol agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos while the illegal-alien drug-smuggler they wounded went free, two illegal aliens are now suing imprisoned Texas Deputy Sheriff Gilmer Hernandez for injuries from shell fragments that struck them as the officer shot at the tires of a van in which they escaped from a routine traffic stop. By Jerome R. Corsi, WorldNetDaily.com, March 24, 2007.

Illegal immigrants allowed at least five strikes

Documents released in the controversy about eight fired U.S. attorneys show that federal prosecutors in Texas generally have declined to bring criminal charges against illegal immigrants caught crossing the border — until at least their sixth arrest. Houston Chronicle, March 23, 2007

Mexican Hit Team Gets Another Cop

Texas Sheriff Goes To Prison

Lou Dobbs Tonight -- CNN -- March 19

Watch the video or read transcript.

Sheriff sees pattern in border agents' cases

A Texas sheriff says a 2001 case against another U.S. Border Patrol agent set the pattern that was used by U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton in his recent cases against Agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos, who now are serving prison terms for shooting at a drug smuggler fleeing back into Mexico, as well as Deputy Sheriff Gilmer Hernandez. by Jerome R. Corsi, WorldNetDaily.com, March 6, 2007

Corsi co-hosts Liddy show on border agents today

It will be an all-star lineup today when U.S. Reps. Dana Rohrbacher, R-Calif., Ted Poe, R-Texas, and Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., join National Border Patrol Council chief T.J. Bonner, Rocksprings, Texas, Sheriff Don Letsinger, Andy Ramirez of Friends of the Border Patrol and others for a three-hour discussion on the court cases against former Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. WorldNetDaily.com, March 7, 2007

Bush in a quandary over border agents' case

WASHINGTON — For weeks, defenders of the two former Border Patrol agents imprisoned for shooting a Mexican drug trafficker have bombarded the White House with calls, e-mails and petitions.
Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau, March 3, 2007