Ken Schram: This is a disgrace

Summary

Federal authorities say they never made any promises to an undocumented immigrant who worked as a police informant, but shipping him home and into the arms of drug dealers who want him dead is cold and it is callous.

Story Published: Jul 16, 2009 at 7:45 AM PST

Story Updated: Jul 16, 2009 at 6:21 PM PST

Ken Schram: This is a disgrace
I'm proud of my country.

Sometimes, not so much my government.

Ernesto Gamboa entered the United States illegally.

Authorities knew that but it didn't bother them much because they were using him.

For the last 14 years this man from El Salvador worked as a police informant.

Since the mid 90's, Ernesto has helped cops bust up drug operations and exposed their ties to foreign cartels.

One narcotics officer says Ernesto is the most effective informant he's ever seen, helping to catch more drug dealers than many career police officers.

But after more than a decade of living on the edge, Ernesto wanted some down time.

Federal authorities said fine, then promptly took him into custody and started the process of shipping him home: straight into the arms of a whole lot of drug dealers who want him nothing but dead.

Federal authorities say they never made any promises to Ernesto, but they sure as hell led him to believe he'd be able to legally settle down in the U.S.

This is a disgrace.

It's cold and it is callous.

I think people should contact their congressional representative and ask them to get involved in helping Ernesto Gamboa stay in America.

Maybe that would restore some pride in our government.

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