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Immigration Law

: Greg Siskind's Blog

BUSH PARDONS BORDER PATROL AGENTS

By Greg Siskind

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From the Associated Press:

In his final acts of clemency, President George W. Bush on Monday commuted the prison sentences of two former U.S. Border Patrol agents whose convictions for shooting a Mexican drug dealer ignited fierce debate about illegal immigration.

Bush's decision to commute the sentences of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who tried to cover up the shooting, was welcomed by both Republican and Democratic members of Congress. They had long argued that the agents were merely doing their jobs, defending the American border against criminals. They also maintained that the more than 10-year prison sentences the pair was given were too harsh.

Rancor over their convictions, sentencing and firings has simmered ever since the shooting occurred in 2005.

I did not jump on the bandwagon of those demanding stiff sentences for Ramos and Compean because I just didn't think it was clear that the agents were acting with malicious intent. And so I will not criticize or praise the President for his actions. The jury made a judgment call and now the President has as well. I only hope that the case had the result of forcing the Border Patrol to look at its policies and training in order to reduce the likelihood that an unarmed person will be killed unnecessarily.

Full post as published by Greg Siskind's Blog on January 19, 2009 (boomark / email).