Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, two former Border Patrol agents, are each serving more than a decade in federal prison for shooting an illegal alien as he was fleeing to the Mexican border. The illegal alien, Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, was smuggling approximately a million dollar's worth of marijuana into the U.S.

However, rather than be commended for doing their jobs and trying to crack down on the endless flow of illegal immigration, Ramos and Compean were prosecuted. U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton granted immunity to the illegal alien drug smuggler in exchange for testimony. Ramos and Compean were sentenced to prison, and Aldrete Davila was released. We all know where Ramos and Compean are now, but guess what happened to Osvaldo Aldrete Davila?

As reported by CNSNews.com, Aldrete Davila was arrested on Thursday on a "drug smuggling offense at a U.S. port of entry." That's right... Johnny Sutton's prime witness against Ramos and Compean is back in jail.

Aldrete now faces two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, one count of conspiracy to import a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

The alleged offenses happened between June 1, 2005 and Nov. 30, 2005, which is when the government gave Aldrete a pass to enter and exit the country unsupervised, primarily to get medical treatment for his bullet wound.

The Washington Times quotes T. J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, as being critical with the timing of the indictment against Aldrete Davila.

"Osvaldo Aldrete Davila should have been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for these felonies two years ago," said Mr. Bonner, whose group represents more than 12,000 Border Patrol agents. "This deliberate and unconscionable delay directly resulted in the wrongful incarceration of two innocent law-enforcement officers."

According to Drug Enforcement Administration documents obtained by The Times, DEA investigators believed they had sufficient evidence to indict Aldrete Davila in late 2005, but their requests to do so were denied by Mr. Sutton's office.

The plight of Ramos and Compean has drawn national attention and efforts to secure their release from prison have, so far, been in vain. However, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), who has been a strong advocate for clamping down on the borders, has renewed the push to free Ramos and Compean. As reported by the Times, "Hunter hand-delivered a letter ... to President Bush seeking a pardon for Ramos and Compean before Thanksgiving."

"Mr. President, if ever a case merited a Presidential pardon, this is one," the California Republican said. "The U.S. Attorney did not feel it was necessary to tell the jury that the witness, whose truthfulness he was asserting, was already back in the drug-dealing business. This is a fact that was known to the U.S. Attorney but not communicated to the jury."

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, California Republican, is also calling for a pardon, as well as asking Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey and the Senate Judiciary Committee to conduct a full-scale review of the case.

The fact that Ramos and Compean remain in jail while a known illegal alien drug smuggler was free to continue smuggling drugs is outrageous. Ramos and Compean should be commended for their actions, not punished.

All of us can do our part to help. Please use GOPUSA's Legislative Action Center to contact President Bush and urge him to free Ramos and Compean before Thanksgiving. The two agents deserve to be with their families. President Bush needs to get the message!

++ Mr. President! Free Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean! (click here)

www.gopusa.com/theloft/