Free Republic

Attorney General Eric Holder steadfastly refused to take any responsibility for the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Terry was shot with a weapon that the Department of Justice helped transport to the Mexican gangs that have been smuggling drugs and aliens across the border. “I’m not going to apologize for anything,” Holder told a Senate Hearing. “I didn’t pull the trigger. That agent was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The border is an inherently dangerous place. You go there at your own risk. Certainly, Terry had to know that.” Holder also pointed out that...

The leaders of a powerful Mexican cartel, frustrated that U.S. law enforcement was interfering with their lucrative drug business, plotted a military-style attack on a U.S. or Mexican government building to "send the gringos a message," federal prosecutors allege in documents filed this week. Leaders of the Sinaloa cartel sought dozens of American-made weapons for an attack in Mexico City on possible targets that included government buildings, an embassy or consulate or media outlet, according to documents in the case against Vicente Zambada, an alleged top lieutenant in the cartel.

PERRY: Yes. You know, I said something at the Orlando debate that was arrogant. May have been because I thought I knew it all because I'd been the governor. As a matter of fact, my wife said, What you said was insulting. .......And one thing I will promise the American people and -- is that within 12 months, within 12 months of my inaugural, that border will be secure and it will be shut down because we'll put the strategic fencing in place. We'll put the boots on the ground. We'll put the aviation assets in place. And that border...

After successfully winning a two-year prison sentence against U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jesus E. Diaz Jr., the Justice Department is now trying to collect a $6,870 fine from his wife, saying it should be paid “immediately” — even though the judge signaled she would have a grace period. In a notice sent last week the Justice Department said the fines were imposed by the court that found Agent Diaz guilty and sentenced him to prison for improperly restraining a 15-year-old suspected of drug smuggling. “We strongly urge you to pay this debt immediate,” said the notice,

U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., is wondering just when Attorney General Eric Holder will get around to answering his questions about the prosecution of a U.S. Border Patrol agent for "improperly restraining a 15-year-old drug smuggler." At least, that's the question he asked in a new letter today to Holder addressing the dispute over the prosecution of Agent Jesus E. Diaz Jr. for lifting the smuggler's arms to force him to comply with orders when he was arrested. "I am still awaiting your response as to why the Justice Department would actively pursue such a case against a U.S. Border...

Border Patrol agent Brian Terry’s family broke its silence on Wednesday, and is now calling on Attorney General Eric Holder to admit he’s at fault for Operation Fast and Furious. Terry was murdered with Operation Fast and Furious weapons on December 15, 2010 — nearly a year ago — and Holder refused to apologize to his family during his Senate Judiciary Committee appearance on Tuesday. “Mr. Holder needs to own Operation Fast and Furious,” Terry’s family said in a statement. “In the end, Mr. Holder may chose not to apologize to the Terry family for the role that ATF and...

A powerful Republican state Senate leader who championed Arizona's controversial crackdown on illegal immigrants lost his office on Tuesday in a historic recall election, returns showed. Russell Pearce's defeat is a message to the GOP, say some analysts, that jobs and the economy should be a higher priority than illegal immigrants.

'Notice of intent to offset' sent to home, even though Diaz is in federal custody The federal government has sent a collection notice to the family of a Border Patrol agent who was jailed and fined for pulling on the arms of a handcuffed suspect to get him to comply with orders, according to a charitable organization working on a defense for Jesus E. Diaz Jr. WND reported earlier on a call for Congress to hold hearings to uncover why U.S. law enforcement officers are being charged, prosecuted and sent to prison for apparently doing what their jobs require. That...

NOGALES, Ariz. — The number of illegal immigrants arrested by the Border Patrol in the Tucson Sector fell by more than 40 percent last year, a significant drop that indicates illegal immigration has slowed considerably in Arizona. Official statistics won’t be released for several weeks, but Alan Bersin, the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, told Border Patrol agents in Nogales this week that arrests in the Tucson Sector fell to 123,000 last fiscal year. Arrests in the Nogales station, the largest in the Tucson Sector, fell by 43 percent to 18,000. “Ladies and gentlemen, know that you are engaged...

Some extremists are targeting my favorite Arizona legislator, Senate President Russell Pearce, because he sponsored Arizona’s illegal immigration bill SB 1070. Deep pockets on the left are funding a recall effort against him. A more liberal candidate, Jerry Lewis, has been found to run against Pearce in the recall election.  A third candidate, Olivia Cortes, has also turned in enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. The recall effort is not really surprising, considering Pearce has become one of the leading mainstream figures in the country opposing illegal immigration. The left sees him as a real threat because he is...

An event is set for Nov. 12 in Scottsdale to honor slain Border Patrol agent Brian Terry and help defray his mother's costs. The "Remember Brian Terry" event will be from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. next Saturday at the Scottsdale International Auto Museum, 9119 E. Indian Bend Road in Scottsdale. It will include music, a buffet, cash bar, raffle and a silent/live auction. Tickets are $35 per person through Nov. 11, and $50 the day of the event. Money raised will go to Josephine Terry, the agent's mother, who has incurred many expenses since her son's murder, such as...

The House Judiciary Committee hosted a Department of Homeland Security oversight hearing last Wednesday with Secretary Janet Napolitano. As you may recall, the House Homeland Security Committee shares a certain amount of legislative jurisdiction with the House Judiciary Committee regarding the Department of Homeland Security. While the Homeland Security Committee covers border security issues, most immigration legislation is covered by the Judiciary Committee. As a result, during the authorization process, the Secretary of Homeland Security is often called to testify before two committees. It’s not a fun process for the Secretary to get grilled and asked obscure questions. I might...

by John HillStand With ArizonaIn a feisty Today Show interview with a combative Ann Curry, Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ) - there to promote her new book, "Scorpions for Breakfast" - calmly answered all of Curry's hysterical claims and falsehoods about Arizona's landmark immigration law S.B. 1070...VIDEO LINKWay to go, Governor! The ignorance from the liberal elites never ceases to amaze. As far as Ann Curry's relentless obsession with race over the rule of law, we just put in the mail for her one of our most popular bumper stickers, which she clearly needs to see... Hope it helps, Ann! (I...

....PERRY: Well, let me just put it this way. The federal government's complete and absolute failure to secure our border put a lot of pressure on governors no matter where they might be to have to deal with issues. You are required to give health care, you are required to give education. And Texans made a decision -- are we going to kick these people to the side of the road and they are going to become tax wasters? Or are we going to require that they become citizens of the United States and become taxpayers? We chose the latter....

WASHINGTON (AP) — A House subcommittee on Wednesday authorized a subpoena against the Homeland Security Department for information about illegal immigrants who have been identified but not deported. The authorization cleared the House Judiciary subcommittee on immigration policy and enforcement by a 7-4, party line vote. Democrats voted against the measure, saying it was premature to issue a subpoena because Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is cooperating with the committee. House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, says the subpoena authorization is necessary because the Obama administration hasn't responded quickly enough to his request, which was made in...

Personnel from San Diego Fire rescue found the men and women around 1 a.m. three feet underground and about 10 feet from the end of a sewer pipe on Via De La Amistad, which is just east of the Port of Entry. Rescuers worked for over an hour to free the adults. The five people had to crawl through mud and sewage to get out of the pipe. Crews had the individuals remove their clothing so they could be washed down with a hose after they crawled out of the pipe. They were given blankets and taken to a local...

by John HillStand With ArizonaWhile Washington, D.C. has no answers to deal with record unemployment or illegal immigration, the "Sheriff Joe Jobs Program" continues apace. Maricopa County, AZ Sheriff Arpaio executed his 55th workplace raid at a Phoenix printing plant - Prisma Graphic. The Sheriff's Office received two separate tips that 17 of the employees were illegal aliens who used false or stolen identification to get their jobs. Stunningly, some of those employees were seen printing out Wells Fargo credit-card information, government hunting tags and Health Net information in secure areas of the printing plant - giving them potential access...

Less than two months ago, on the day after the 10th anniversary of September 11th, the Obama Administration suspended the most successful alien-interdiction program on the northern border. Border Patrol agents based in Rochester and Buffalo, who had taken thousands of illegal aliens into custody, were ordered to stand down. Specifically, a highly successful long-term monitoring of interstate buses and Amtrak trains was ordered to stop. Rochester and Buffalo became, for all intents and purposes, free-transit zones for illegal aliens. From the best enforcement in the northern tier of states, to no enforcement at all – in response to orders...

According to security officials in both Mexico and the United States, American law enforcement has built up a significant network of informants within the most powerful Mexican drug cartels. LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Officials are now saying that the network of informants has grown substantially in Mexico and that these networks have enabled Mexican authorities to capture or kill approximately two dozen high and mid-level drug traffickers. They have also been helpful to American operations there. The new cooperation is historically uncharacteristic. Typically, Mexico is not told who the US informants are for the safety of the agents....

I hate to say this but if anyone who reads this blog is considering joining the US Border Patrol, think again. The same corrupt presecutors that went after agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compeon are at it again. This time the US Attorneys for the District of Western Texas have obtained a conviction against Agent Jesus Diaz. Diaz is accused of violating an illegal criminal aliens Constitutional rights by pulling him up and hurting him while the scum bag drug runner was in handcuffs. Apparently these same rogue prosecutors went after a Edwards County Sheriff in Texas after he shot...