Border Patrol Emasculated

In August 2007 United States Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean were convicted to 11 and 12 years in prison for actions related to the pursuit of a suspect near the U.S-Mexico border. Since the laws and events surrounding this event are as clear as mud, I will not play the part of lawyer and attempt to dissect the case. (Although I do think that they should not have been prosecuted to the extent that they were.)

However, it seems to me that the problem is not so much immigration law, nor is it the actions of the enforcers. The REAL problem is the way the law is (or rather, is NOT) enforced, and with the restrictions placed on Border Patrol agents in doing their jobs.

For example:
"Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Kanof said, Ramos and Compean had no business chasing someone in the first place. 'It is a violation of Border Patrol regulations to go after someone who is fleeing," she said. "The Border Patrol pursuit policy prohibits the pursuit of someone.'"

I will let Agent Ramos speak for himself, and me:
"How are we supposed to follow the Border Patrol strategy of apprehending terrorists or drug smugglers if we are not supposed to pursue fleeing people?" he continued. "Everybody who's breaking the law flees from us. What are we supposed to do? Do they want us to catch them or not?"

That's just the beginning. If we are really serious about protecting our borders, then we must allow our border patrol personnel to do their jobs and actually enforce the law. And, we need to get tough with it.

I can't go on, it makes me so angry. Just read over the source documents below and think about it.

Sources:
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=23228
http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_4141562
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/press_releases/Compean-Ramos/Compean_Ramos_factsheet1.pdf