Bush pardons man convicted of conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens, but not Ramos and Compean

President George W Bush today pardoned nineteen people and the full list is here: usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2008/December/08-crm-1148.html

Two people not on the list are Border Patrol agents Ramos and Compean; pardoning them would send the wrong message: that our borders have meaning.

However, showing exactly where his loyalties lie, one of those pardoned was convicted of conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens:

John Allen Aregood a/k/a Johnny (Sonny) Aregood - Riviera, Texas
Offense: Conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens; 18 U.S.C. (S) 371, 8 U.S.C. (S) 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii)(iii).
Sentence: Nov. 21, 1996; Southern District of Texas; three years of probation, $1,000 fine.

I don't know the particulars of the case, but someone with the same name is listed as the contact for Aregood Farms in that town here, where he and one or two other employees provide crop harvesting services. It could have been some sort of innocent mixup, or he could have been a smuggler bringing in "willing workers". If anyone can look up the details of the case, please leave a comment.

Another person pardoned was:

"a St. George man convicted in 1992 of digging up ancient Indian ruins on public lands in Garfield County... [after hikers told him what he was doing was illegal, he said:] "Only if you get caught," court records from the time indicated Barney told the hikers. "Better I dig it up than have the cows trample it."

UPDATE: From this:

A South Texas rancher got a good-news phone call Tuesday about a presidential pardon that wipes away a felony conviction for hiring undocumented workers to harvest his watermelons 16 years ago [for which he "paid a modest fine and served two years of probation"].

"I really don't know why or anything," said John Allen Aregood, of Riviera, a ranching town about 11 miles south of Kingsville. "It's just a good Christmas present."

Aregood, 64, is no longer is in the watermelon business and said he has never met Bush.

But quite a few people wrote to the Justice Department supporting his pardon application, which a friend inside the agency helped advance, he said.

...The pardon will restore Aregood's voting rights, which is the Christmas gift he wanted.

How wonderful.

Tue, 12/23/2008 - 18:14 · · Importance: 19