FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: T.Q.
Houlton
October 29, 2008
202.226.6997
Tancredo Asks Mukasey to Explain
Border Agent Case
Sends letter to DoJ questioning their role in the trial
(WASHINGTON, D.C.)
– U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Littleton) today sent the following
letter to Michael Mukasey, the Attorney General of the United
States. Border Patrol Agent Nicholas Corbett is currently on trial
for the second time for defending himself against an aggressive
illegal alien.
# # # #
October 29, 2008
The Honorable Michael Mukasey
Attorney General
U.S.
Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Room 1145
Washington, DC 20530
Dear Mr. Mukasey,
Border security and immigration enforcement are crucial issues to
our national security and sovereignty. Everyone is aware of the
commonplace danger and rampant violence that characterize daily life
in our southern border area. Just a few examples are:
·
The
Department of State has issued numerous travel warnings;
·
Mexico
is fighting a full-scale war with the drug cartels;
·
Large
portions of our public lands system adjacent to Mexico are unsafe
and off limits to visitation;
·
There
has been a widespread rape epidemic in Juarez; and
·
The
U.S. Border Patrol apprehends about one million illegal entrants
yearly while continually facing the risk of serious injury and
even death – just to name a few examples.
In recent years, it has become evident that we have given the Border
Patrol a mission that bureaucrats making policy here in Washington,
DC persistently undermine. The outrageous and unprecedented
prosecution of agents Ramos and Compean helped to expose the
incongruity between political rhetoric and action to our national
conscience.
The second trial of Border Patrol agent Nicholas Corbett raises
similarly troubling questions. As you may know, Mr. Corbett has
been accused of second-degree murder of an illegal alien
border-crosser named Francisco Javier Dominguez. The first trial of
Mr. Corbett resulted in a “hung jury,” but the opponents of
immigration law enforcement refuse to give up until they can
convince a jury, any jury, of this agent’s guilt.
In the midst of all this, it seems that Mexico’s consular apparatus
has become part of the U.S. prosecution structure – rather than a
diplomatic office. Reports allege that Mexico is paying three
witnesses (Dominguez’s two brothers and girlfriend) who seek to
corroborate the murder tale, and shielding three other witnesses
that Border Patrol Union officials claim exonerate Corbett.
Most troubling of all is the fact that the Department of Justice has
declined again to aid in the defense of agent Corbett. Is it
common practice for DOJ to defend federal law enforcement agents?
To what extent does diplomatic pressure influence the decision?
Please provide me with statistics of how often the DOJ has defended
Border Patrol officers in past, resolved cases under the Bush
administration – and more information on those specific cases.
Furthermore, I understand that DOJ has given immunity to the owner
of Barenaked Cereal – who had been employing Mr. Dominguez, and may
have been aware of his illegal status in the United States – to
testify to Mr. Dominguez’s character, ironically. Is this true?
Please explain why you would approve that.
Thanks in advance for your response.
Sincerely,
Tom
Tancredo, M.C.
