By Douglas J. Hagmann,
Monday, January 15, 2007
By now, everyone in North America, and especiallycertain Mexicans are familiar with the case of two former Border Patrolagents convicted of causing serious bodily injury, assault with a deadlyweapon, discharge of a firearm and violating the civil rights of a drugsmuggler and illegal alien at the U.S. - Mexican border. Absent of asuccessful appeal or a presidential pardon, former agents Jose AlonsoCompean and Ignacio Ramos will begin serving their 10-year-plus sentences infederal court this Wednesday. Despite an unprecedented exhibit of supportfrom the public and public officials, including 55 members of Congress andover 175,000 U.S. citizens, President Bush has shown no interest inpardoning these two agents whose sentences will surpass many murderers,rapists and even drug smugglers they have put behind bars. In addition tothe obvious, however, the situation involving Compean and Ramos is having a"rippling effect" among border patrol agents and other law enforcementofficials who have the increasingly dangerous and difficult task ofprotecting American citizens.
Mark W. Parsons, the President of the Fraternal Order of Police in ElPaso, Texas, and also an agent with Customs and Border Protectiontold America's News Source and The Northeast Intelligence Network on Sunday that his organization, also representing the federalofficers of the West Texas and New Mexico area stands behind and fullysupports the agents in their quest for a new trial or pardon. "We standbehind them 110%," stated Mr. Parsons, who also described how the situationis currently affecting the job performance and morale of law enforcementofficers who work every day protecting our country at our southern border."I don't think there is any agent who, when handling a breach of security,doesn't think about the situation of Compean and Ramos and base theiractions with a greater degree of reservation for fear that it could any oneof them in that position," stated Agent Parsons.
Mr. Parsons stated that the aggressive prosecution, replete irregularitiespertaining to the arrest and trial of the two agents, including but notlimited to venue issues, restriction of exculpatory testimony and evidence,government corruption and jury misconduct "has made a lot of agents on thefront lines 'gun shy' and afraid to do their jobs." He added that "if thiscan happen to agents Compean and Ramos, it can happen to any one of us." Itis also sending a strong message to illegal aliens, drug smugglers, andpotential terrorists illegally crossing the border into the U.S. everyday.Those involved in illegal border activities see this as a victory for them,endangers the safety and welfare of the officers on the front lines andcompromises the safety and security of every man, woman and child in theU.S.
"Morale? What morale? It is as bad as I have ever seen it," stated Mr.Parsons describing the mood of agents fighting the battle at the border.
At a time in this nation's history when border security is one of the mostimportant factors in our fight for survival in the war against terrorists,we are sending to border patrol agents to prison, scheduled to serve inexcess of a decade behind bars each. Make no mistake, the southern border ofthe U.S. is a virtual war zone being exploited by enemies of the UnitedStates. The demoralizing affect of this lack of prosecutorial discretion ina time of war is questionable at best, begging the questions: how seriousare we in securing our borders, and why isn't the U.S. Department of Justiceexercising the same zeal in the prosecution of illegal aliens as they are inpunishing those front-line agents who are understaffed, out-gunned, andhamstrung by rules of engagement favoring the criminal?
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