Free Republic

While the Bush administration seeks amnesty for illegal aliens and grants immunity to a Mexican drug smuggler, it has thrown the book at two courageous Border Patrol agents. Fabens, Texas — The chase was on. The suspected smuggler van turned back toward the Rio Grande and headed for Mexico. Border Patrol agent Ignacio Ramos was on his tail. Other agents were also converging on the scene. The suspect realized he wasn't going to outrun agent Ramos' vehicle, and so he abandoned his van on a levee and took off on foot. As the suspect headed into the canal, Ramos yelled...

A former Border Patrol agent accused of lying about his citizenship to get his job and then helping to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States was ordered held without bail yesterday. Oscar Antonio Ortiz, 28, appeared in court dressed in a jail-issue orange jumpsuit and said little during a brief hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anthony J. Battaglia. The judge set a bail hearing for Wednesday. Prosecutors say Ortiz should remain behind bars until his case is decided. Ortiz pleaded not guilty to lying about his citizenship and conspiracy to smuggle immigrants, felony charges that could result in up...

TUCSON, Ariz. A 27-year-old man has been sentenced in Tucson to 15 years in prison in connection with the slaying seven years ago of a Border Patrol agent. Juan Manuel Mares-Rivas, a Mexican citizen, is the last of four defendants in the case to be sentenced. Border Patrol Agent Alexander Kirpnick was killed in June 1998 west of Nogales after he encountered four men trying to smuggle marijuana across the U-S-Mexico border. Umares-Rivas, of Mexico, was extradited to Tucson after the three other defendants in the case had been sentenced. He pleaded guilty to federal drug and weapons charges.

TOMBSTONE, Ariz. — An eerie tension lurked in the alleys of this historic town Thursday as locals braced for the arrival today of hundreds of self-appointed border guards who want to protect the Arizona-Mexico border against undocumented immigrants. The streets were tranquil Thursday afternoon, as tourists milled about in the sunny breeze while cowboy actors did their best to lure visitors into buying tickets for the next gun-shootout show. But many knew the scene could be quite different today with the launching of the Minuteman Project, a grass-roots effort that organizers pledge will draw more than 1,000 volunteers from across...

A Border Patrol agent was missing Tuesday night after attempting to rescue a Chinese illegal alien from the Colorado River, officials said.Several law enforcement agencies were searching the river for the agent Tuesday night. He was swept away by the rivers current as he tried to pull the alien to safety around 6:30 p.m., said Border Patrol spokesman Joe Brigman.The agent, whose identity was not released, had not been found as of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.During a routine check of the river near Andrade, Calif., Border Patrol agents discovered approximately seven illegal aliens, Brigman said. The group had crossed the river...