On Tuesday, March 25, 2008 -- only days ago -- 15 people were issued presidential pardons.  Among those pardoned were dope dealers and even an embezzler.

But yet again, NO PARDON WAS ISSUED FOR IGNACIO RAMOS AND JOSE ALONSO COMPEAN -- the two brave Border Patrol agents who were unjustly accused and subsequently railroaded for doing what many, including Congressman Tom Tancredo called, "doing their job."

White House press secretary Dana Perino told reporters:

"The pardon attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice regularly provides the President with recommendations, and the President yesterday approved 15 pardons and one commutation of sentence... The President considers these clemency recommendations as they come in to him."

Considers them as they come to him?

So what about Compean and Ramos?  The American people have been asking that these two American heroes be pardoned for a year.

Over a year ago, the American people were promised that this matter would be addressed!

What happened to that promise?

Maybe someone thought the American people simply forgot about Compean and Ramos.

Maybe someone thought that if these pardons were handled quietly, no one would notice.

Well guess what?  If anyone thought that... they're WRONG!

It's time to let our elected officials -- those who serve ONLY with the consent of the people -- know that THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN!

It's time to let some folks in Washington D.C. know that the anger and frustration of the American people only grows with each passing day.

Just The Facts...

Just in case you don't remember all the details... here are the bare facts: 

Ramos and Compean went to prison simply because they tried to enforce our immigration laws. 

As a reward for doing their duty, they were treated like common criminals.

First the Justice Department took minor violations of agency procedures and the shooting of a dangerous and known illegal alien dope smuggler during a legitimate arrest attempt and called it a crime.

Then U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton piled on the charges -- 12 separate counts in all.  One, the mere firing of a gun, carried a 10-year mandatory prison sentence. 

It's as if someone wanted to make an example of these border agents.

But that's not all.

There were jury irregularities as well.

Several jurors, in a sworn statement right after the trial, said they had been instructed that the judge ordered the verdict to be unanimous -- that there could be no possibility of a hung jury -- and they had to vote guilty even though they believed the men to be innocent. 

Compean and Ramos entered prison on January 17, 2007, leaving behind devastated wives and three small children each. 

Then the feds promised that both men would be placed in solitary confinement for their own protection.  Prisons are full of men who despise law-enforcement officers and a large number of prisoners are illegal aliens who hate border agents.

One of Ramos' family members had this to say:

"They have Ignacio in a 6 foot by 12 foot cell.  There are no bars, just a steel door, and no window.  He has no television and nothing to do. He is fed in his cell and let out only for one hour after 23 hours in the cell. He is then taken to a room with a television where he is allowed to watch the TV for an hour before he is returned to solitary confinement."

And then the unthinkable happened...

One day, Ramos called his wife from prison and told her he had been savagely beaten by five inmates who shouted obscenities and called him "la migra," dope-dealer slang for Border Patrol agent.

Congress Finally Gets Into The Act.

When Members of Congress expressed outrage at this shameless miscarriage of justice, and held hearings, officials at Homeland Security tried to cover their tracks by smearing Compean and Ramos. 

Homeland Security officials actually claimed that Ramos and Compean boasted they were going out to "shoot some Mexicans." 

The three officials lied through their teeth!

How do we know they lied? 

We know they lied because Inspector General Richard Skinner -- under intense questioning from Members of Congress -- finally admitted under oath that they had lied. 

Read it for yourself:

Congressman John Culbertson of Texas asked Inspector General Richard Skinner:

"Where are those statements and are they true? These statements that were made by your investigators, sir, are they true?"

And the Skinner replied under oath:

"I'm sorry, Congressman, we misled you. Those statements were not true."

Congressman Ted Poe of Texas:

"I'm glad the Inspector General was candid with Members of Congress.   Still, it would have been appropriate months ago if someone had come forward with the truth about the incident rather than having to wait until somebody got placed under oath and was forced to testify."

CNN's Lou Dobbs, while reporting on these revelations came to the following conclusion: "[I]t's clear this prosecution originated in Washington, D.C."

A growing number of Americans have come to believe Ramos, Compean, and their families were sacrificed to appease Mexico, whose president was threatening to go to the United Nations because the American people were starting to demand common-sense border enforcement.

Are these two men being sacrificed to appease a foreign government?

The Effects Of This Wrongful Prosecution Are Being Felt.

In order to keep up appearances, the Border Patrol was recently authorized to hire 6,000 additional agents.  The trouble is, not enough qualified people want the job anymore, and the agency has been forced to lower its standards:

They have reduced the crucial training period from four months to ten weeks -- HARDLY ENOUGH TIME TO TELL THE NEW RECRUITS WHAT THEY CAN'T DO WITHOUT BEING THROWN INTO JAIL FOR 11-12 YEARS.

By October 1, half of all Border Patrol agents will have fewer than two years experience.  Richard Pierce, Executive Vice President of the National Border Patrol Council, says: "So essentially, what we have is trainee agents teaching trainees out in the field."

The academy no longer requires a high school diploma or even a GED.  And a passing score has been lowered from 85 to 70.

Why do you suppose it's so hard to recruit first-rate candidates to join the Border Patrol?

Could it be because potential recruits believe that Homeland Security doesn't really want the Border Patrol to do its job effectively?  Agents are not even allowed to pursue illegal aliens suspected of smuggling drugs and they have to obtain permission to exceed the speed limit.

Could it be because Border Patrol agents aren't sufficiently armed and are forbidden to use their guns under most conditions, even when they believe their lives are in danger?

Could it be because nobody wants to spend 11-12 years in prison?  Potential agents know their own government will throw them to the wolves in a heartbeat rather than offend the Mexican government and jeopardize the future of a North American Union.

Everybody knows about Ramos and Compean --on both sides of the border.

So our border security is getting weaker and weaker. 

Pardoning these two victims of government deceit would be a crucial first step toward restoring the confidence of the American people.

More Congressional Involvement...

Thoughtful legislators -- Democrats and Republicans -- are still smoldering with anger over the treatment of Ramos and Compean.  

Senator Dianne Feinstein -- a liberal Democrat and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee -- held a hearing on the Ramos-Compean case.  Feinstein's bipartisan committee concluded "that the sentence does not match the crime" in the case of agents Ramos and Compean.

Senator Feinstein herself said: "The sentences of 11 years for Agent Ramos and 12 years for Agent Compean were significantly higher than for many other serious crimes... Ramos and Compean have now served six months in the federal penitentiary and we would ask the President to review the case closely and commute the sentence."

GOP Congressman Dana Rohrabacher was more blunt: "This is the worst betrayal of American defenders I have ever seen."

Representative Sue Myrick of North Carolina and other Members of Congress interviewed Jose Alonso Compean and heard firsthand how this unjust conviction has devastated his family.  Afterwards she said: "It is tragic that these men were convicted for doing their job.  Here are two men who put their lives on the line for our country, yet the government turned their back on them.  That's un-American.  I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure justice is done in this case, and these men are not sent to jail for defending themselves from attack while protecting our border."

We will too.  So will a growing list of angry Americans who -- after over a year -- still remember Ramos and Compean.