Tancredo Asks Obama to Pardon Border Agents

Lest President-elect Barack Obama forget that he will soon hear passionate calls on a wide range of issues, Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) today called on the Democrat to pardon imprisoned border agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean–a hot-button issue for immigration activists.

The agents’ case has been a rallying cry for immigration hard-liners like Tancredo, but it has garnered attention from centrists and liberals as well — Democrats Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.), joined calls for an examination of the case.

Ramos and Compean are serving prison sentences for shooting a man near the Texas-Mexico border in 2005. They shot a man in the buttocks after he waved what appeared to be a gun at them, the agents said. Nearly 800 pounds of marijuana were found in the van he abandoned as he fled, according to news reports on the case.

Tancredo had this to say in a letter to Obama today:

President-elect Obama:

Congratulations on your electoral victory of last week; I hope that you do bring some needed changes to Washington. One such change that would bring hope to the men and women who protect America