A nonprofit organization has filed an ethics complaint against U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, for allegedly convincing ICE agents to act outside the agency's jurisdiction by organizing a rescue operation of a foreign national on foreign soil.
U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas |
Citing a memo to Immigration and Customs Enforcement Assistant Secretary Julie Myers leaked to the Internet's Narco News website, a law enforcement advocacy organization called Friends of the Border Patrol has asked the House Ethics Committee to investigate Reyes for urging ICE to liberate his wife's relative, a Mexican national, from kidnappers across the border in Mexico.
A FOBP press release states, "Reyes, a former Chief Border Patrol agent, knows that this type of request is frowned upon by the U.S. Border Patrol. Reyes' actions raise further questions regarding his request because of the lack of jurisdiction of ICE."
The FOBP's formal complaint also quotes four senior federal law enforcement officials, who collectively call the ICE request "bizarre, questionable, inappropriate and highly unusual."
TRENDING: To DEI for
The FOBP has been joined by two other organizations, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and the Federal Hispanic Law Enforcement Officers Association, in asking Congress to investigate Reyes' involvement.
Last month, the New York Times reported Erika Posselt had been abducted from an auto glass store she owned in Juarez, Mexico, but that she was then released after the family paid $32,000 of a $500,000 ransom demanded by her kidnappers.
Posselt, a relative of Congressman Reyes' wife, was later brought into the U.S. for security reasons.
The leaked memo, however, revealed that an aide to Reyes had contacted the ICE Assistant Attaché for Ciudad Juarez, which resulted in a meeting between American and Mexican police officials.
American agents, according to the memo, then provided technical and logistical assistance in an over-the-border operation, led by Mexican authorities, to free Posselt.
Reyes issued a statement through spokesperson Vincent M. Perez, stating, "Any suggestion that Congressman Reyes somehow influenced the actions of law enforcement is false."
The FOBP, CREW and FHLEOA remain unconvinced. So does Kent Paterson, who runs a border blog operated by New Mexico State University and who told the Times that there are many unresolved cases of kidnapping, even of United States citizens, along the border. "What is striking is how rapidly it was solved," he said. "If you have money, clout and political connections, you can move things."
Â
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?"
Â
Previous stories:
'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 plead for 'Christmas pardon'
White House clarifies 'nonsensical' comment'
12 congressmen demand pardon for border agents
Snow says question on agents' prison time 'nonsensical'