This past weekend, wrongly convicted Border Patrol Agent Ignacio Ramos was severely beaten by five illegal alien inmates. Though George Bush’s hit man U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton promised that Agent Ramos would not be placed into the general population, that is exactly what happened --leaving Agent Ramos vulnerable to brutal attacks from the very people he once locked up. It is obvious that the Bush administration now wants this very brave and very popular agent dead!

I spoke with Agent Ramos’ father in law Joe Loya on Monday evening. He filled me in on the attack, as well as giving me a troubling update on his distraught family.

Joe told me that while Ignacio was sleeping late Saturday night, he was dragged out of his bed and beaten by five illegal alien inmates. Contrary to what Johnny Sutton recently told the press, Ignacio has been placed in the general population of a federal prison in Yazoo City, Mississippi.

Joe said that the only reason his family knew about the attack was that Monday was Ignacio’s birthday and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) obtained special permission for him to call his children to offer them some comfort. His two sons asked their mom (Monica Ramos) to buy a cake, so that they could sing Happy Birthday to their dad on the phone.

Once on the phone with Monica, Ignacio informed her: “Monica, I’m in isolation after I got beat up by five inmates. I had blood coming out of my left ear.” He was apparently kicked several times over his entire body as his attackers shouted in Spanish: “Kill the Border Agent!”

While the attack took place on Saturday night, Ignacio had still not received any medical treatment as of Monday night. After an attack in which he could have sustained serious brain injury and was obviously bleeding from his ear, prison officials should have offered immediate treatment. An accommodation that is given to even the most vicious of criminals, is not offered to a veteran Border Patrol Agent who is responsible for hundreds of drug busts along the border.

Joe’s voice broke as he described the devastation that his family has been experiencing. Ignacio and Monica have lost everything during the nearly two year legal battle with the federal government. He said: “We just don’t understand why these people are being so vicious. We are all just worn out after 23 months of this.”

Joe has spent his retirement savings on the legal defense of his son in law. They have spent over $250,000 defending this brave agent against the lies of a Mexican drug smuggler as well as those of the Bush administration.

The placement of a former law enforcement officer in the general population of a prison is often a death sentence. By placing such a high profile officer in that population, President Bush has effectively signed Agent Ramos’ death warrant. If Agent Ramos is dead...so is the movement to pardon him!

Two weeks ago, the White House contacted Monica Ramos several times to assure her that President Bush would be calling her. Bush never called and it is now clear that his promise to review her husband’s case was more of his meaningless words.

Unlike Bush, there are many members of Congress who care about defending the border as well as seeking justice for Agents Ramos and Compean. To date, 79 Congressmen (all Republican) have signed onto a bill to offer a pardon to the two agents.

We must keep up the pressure not only on the White House but on those members of Congress who have not yet pledged their support for these agents. Please take the time today to contact your Congressman and Senators and tell them...Support the pardon of Agents Ramos and Compean!

Please also continue to use the following list to contact the White House and demand that these agents be released:
Press Sec. Tony Snow...202-456-2580
White House fax line...202-456-2461
White House comment line...202-384-7400
White House

If you would like to help the Ramos family with their enormous expenses, please send a donation to the following address:

Monica Ramos
P.O. Box 972925
El Paso, TX 79997

As long as these agents sit in prison, their lives are in grave danger. The Bush administration has basically declared open season on Ramos and Compean. Please join in the fight to protect these men from the criminals surrounding them in prison as well as from the ones who dwell inside the federal government!