Congressman: Probe Mexico's role in prosecutions

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif.

A Republican congressman is asking a Democrat colleague to hold hearings to investigate the involvement of the Mexican government in the decision to prosecute Texas Deputy Sheriff Gilmer Hernandez and Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean for shooting incidents involving illegal immigrants.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., told WND his office is writing a memo to Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass., after WND's story this week disclosing the involvement of the Mexican Consulate in both cases.

"It appears we are giving more credence to directions from Mexican government officials than we are to the dictates of our own Constitution and the security of the people of the United States," Rohrabacher told WND.

The congressman is the ranking Republican member of the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Delahunt has taken Rohrabacher's place as chairman.

The congressman said he was pleased to see the transcript of the Ramos-Compean trial finally available, some 11 months after the conclusion of the trial.

"Now that we have the transcript of the trial," Rohrabacher told WND, "the case can go to an appellate judge who can overturn Judge Kathleen Cardone's decision to imprison Ramos and Compean while they appeal the conviction."

Rohrabacher expressed anger that Ramos and Compean are currently in federal prison.

"The only reason these two Border Patrol agents are in federal prison today," he told WND, "is because of a mean-spirited president who wants to squash people like a bug if they do anything that contradicts his open border policy."

Rohrabacher added, "We have to make sure we save the lives of agents Ramos and Compean. This is our first priority. These two brave heroes are now in jeopardy and their lives are at risk."

WND previously reported Ramos was beaten in the federal prison by a group of inmates believed to be Hispanic illegal immigrants, following the TV broadcast of an "America's Most Wanted" show that featured a segment on the case.

"The president has things all mixed up," Rohrabacher said. "We're supposed to side with the law enforcement officers, not the drug dealers. We're supposed to be interested in the security of our borders in order to protect American citizens rather than to make Mexican government officials happy."

Last month, Rohrabacher obtained a ticket for Monica Ramos, the wife of the imprisoned Border Patrol agent, to attend Bush's State of the Union Message.

WND also received comment from Rep. Duncan Hunter, R–Calif., whose office issue an e-mail saying the revelations about Mexican involvement "raise more questions about the validity of the conviction and reaffirm why a review of the case is necessary immediately."

"Too many questions have been raised to allow this conviction to stand without a close and unbiased review," the statement said.

WND reported Hunter has sponsored a resolution calling for a congressional pardon for Ramos and Compean. His office confirmed the resolution now has 82 co-sponsors.

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