Jesus Navarro Montes

Officials are outraged after a Mexican judge released a Mexican national who allegedly struck and killed a U.S. Border Patrol agent with his vehicle.

Jesus Navarro Montes was accused of intentionally killing Agent Luis Aguilar Jan. 19 near the Imperial Sand Dunes in Imperial County, Calif., the Los Angeles Times reported. Aguilar was attempting to stop two Mexican vehicles from entering the country illegally. As he positioned a strip of tire spikes into the road, Montes allegedly rammed his vehicle into the agent and killed him.

Now a Mexican judge has released Montes without restrictions.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said he was shocked at the Mexican judge's decision to free Montes.

"We are working with a determined Mexican government and our Department of Justice to seek swift justice for the Aguilar murder," Chertoff said in a statement. "We have also assured Agent Aguilar's family that every resource is being called upon in the relentless pursuit of justice."

Chertoff had previously applauded Mexico's support in finding Aguilar's murderer, and he referenced the agent's slaying as an illustration of increasing violence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

However, Montes was arrested in northern Mexico three days following Aguilar's murder, where he awaited a trial on charges of immigrant smuggling. He was later set free, and the details of his prison release were unclear, the Los Angeles Times reported.

(Story continues below)

The president of the National Border Patrol Council, T.J. Bonner, told newspaper he couldn't understand how Montes could be released after he allegedly killed a border patrol agent in cold blood.

"How can a guy who murdered one of our law enforcement agents just be released like that?" Bonner asked. "He could be anywhere by now."

Officials at Mexico's federal attorney general's office and Public Safety Department said they believe Montes drove from Mexicali in Baja California toward the U.S. border in a Hummer loaded with drugs prior to striking the agent with his vehicle.

According to the report, U.S. Border Patrol agents saw the vehicles illegally enter the country on Interstate 8, so they attempted to apprehend the suspects. After Aguilar was killed, Montes drove back to Mexicali and gave the Hummer to one of his friends.

According to the report, Mexican government spokesman Ricardo Alday said, "The United States, to this date, has presented neither a provisional order of arrest for Mr. Navarro Montes nor a formal extradition request."

---

 

---

Special offers:

Get "The Late Great USA" and find out how America is giving away its sovereignty

"PREMEDITATED MERGER: How leaders are stealthily transforming USA into North American Union"

Autographed! – Pat Buchanan unleashed on border crisis

Tom Tancredo: America itself "In Mortal Danger"

Get Minutemen founder's new book

"Conquest of Aztlan: Will Mexicans retake American Southwest?"

---

Previous stories:

'Ramos, Compean must ask for clemency'

Call renewed for pardons for border agents

Pardon me: Bush blasted for ignoring border agents

'Free agents by Christmas' plan gains momentum

House resolution wants Ramos, Compean freed

Another win for border agent who struck illegal

Feds admit smuggler lied in Ramos-Compean case

Jailed border agents plead for new trial

Rights 'denied' Ramos, Compean

Ramos, Compean feared for their lives

Drug smuggler arrested for 2nd marijuana load

'Pardon Ramos and Compean now!'

Arrest prompts call for release of Ramos, Compean

Bush won't get involved in Ramos, Compean review

Lawmaker: Terrorists treated better than Ramos, Compean

Texas deputy freed from prison

Jailed Texas deputy scheduled for release

Gil Hernandez 'fears for his life'

Border Patrol agent vindicated

Sheriff sees pattern in border agents' cases

Feds seeking 7 years for another Texas cop

Justice urged to release Ramos-Compean documents

Records prompt call for new Ramos-Compean trial

Congressman: Bush 'doesn't give a damn'

Cop called 'double agent' in Ramos-Compean case

Ramos, Compean release on bond nixed

Border agents' case inspires song

Feinstein still probing Ramos-Compean case

Judicial Watch seeks records in Ramos-Compean case

Sheriff: Deputy prosecuted by Mexico's demand

Senate hearings on Ramos-Compean postponed

Smuggler's 2nd drug case confirmed by accomplice

Ramos attorney calls for mistrial

Smuggler's 2nd delivery of marijuana confirmed

Congressman: Probe Mexico's role in prosecutions

Mexico demanded U.S. prosecute sheriff, agents

Discrepancies in case against Border Patrol unresolved

Compean reports reading half of Bible already

How cozy was Border Patrol with smuggler?

Border Patrol agents fired for changing testimonies

Drug smuggler left cell phone in van

Border-agent investigator had tie to smuggler

Author of DHS border-agent report lied to Congress

Officials urged to resign for lie about border agents

Government admits lying about jailed border agents

Imprisoned border agent did report shooting

Imprisoned border agent beaten by fellow inmates

Prosecutor had evidence against drug smuggler

Poe seeks 'public' documents on border agents

Prosecutor accused of hiding smuggler's 2nd drug bust

Homeland Security memos contradict U.S. attorney

Uproar over border agents to get White House review

Feds 'knew smuggler' in Border Patrol case

Ballistics data don't support charge against border agents

Funds set up for Border Patrol agents

Congressman: Feds stonewalling on border agents

Border agent's wife at State of the Union

Revolt builds as Republicans seek to toss border agents' convictions

Border Patrol agent held in solitary confinement

Imprisoned agent's wife: President is a hypocrite

Border agents' prosecutor responds to critics

Border agents sent to prison

Border agents plead for 'Christmas pardon'

White House clarifies 'nonsensical' comment'

12 congressmen demand pardon for border agents

Snow says question on agents' prison time 'nonsensical'