Congressman Culberson Statement on Agents Ramos and Compean

Congressman Culberson issued the following statement regarding Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean following yesterday’s House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Richard Skinner.

"Richard Skinner admitted yesterday under oath that his top deputies gave Members of Congress false information painting Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean as rogue cops who were not in fear for their lives and who were 'out to shoot Mexicans'.

"In my opinion, this false information was given to Members of Congress to throw us off the scent and cover-up what appears to be an unjust criminal prosecution of two U.S. law enforcement officers whose job was protecting our country’s borders from criminals and terrorists.

"Today I am calling for the resignation of the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security and the investigators who lied to us.

"So far it looks to me like Agents Ramos and Compean may not have followed proper procedure following the shooting, which at most should have resulted in their suspension from the force, but not criminal prosecution.

"At a time when Homeland Security has left our borders largely undefended and deployed national guardsman whose ‘standard operating procedure’ is ‘to retreat’ when confronted with armed criminals, the unjust prosecution of Agents Ramos and Compean weakens border security by discouraging all U.S. law enforcement officers from drawing their weapons in self-defense or in the defense of our nation.

"Our highest priority in the War on Terror is to secure our borders. These two agents need to be pardoned and we need to reassure our brave Border Patrol agents and law enforcement officers that we support them and want them to feel free to use their best judgment and whatever force they think is necessary to protect America."

Culberson