Mr. President! Free Ramos and Compean

By WND Staff

WASHINGTON – More than 36,000 people want President Bush, in the few days left of his presidency, to take action to free imprisoned Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, and have signed a petition seeking freedom for the two that is part of a campaign launched by WND Editor Joseph Farah.

“I am calling on President Bush to do the right thing before he leaves office Jan. 20,” said Farah. “These are the pardons or sentence commutations the American people want to see more than any other. We don’t want to see any more drug dealers freed. We don’t want to see any other millionaires get pardons. We don’t want to see any other well-connected crooks have their sentences overturned. We want to see Ramos and Compean out and their reputations restored.”

Ramos and Compean are serving sentences of 11 and 12 years respectively for the shooting of an illegal alien drug smuggler in the line of duty. The drug dealer received only minor injuries and was given full immunity from prosecution by the federal prosecutor in return for his testimony against the agents.

They were convicted and sentenced under a law requiring a minimum 10-year sentence for the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime – a law the Congress never intended to apply to law enforcement officers. They have already served nearly two years in prison – mostly solitary confinement.

“Personally, I want to see these two men home for Christmas,” said Farah. “Enough is enough. Their convictions and sentences were miscarriages of justice. President Bush has one last chance to demonstrate he really has a ‘compassionate conservative’ heart beating inside his chest. This is the test.”

Farah said he does not believe Bush will act without massive pressure from the American people.

“I hope millions of Americans will join me in this plea right now,” he said. “I know of no better way than to sign this petition, which I pledge to use to get the attention of the White House.”

Sign the petition to free imprisoned Border Patrol agents now.