HONOLULU — Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo announced yesterday that he and 28 other members of Congress have sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asking her to deny the extradition of Duane "Dog" Chapman to Mexico.

Chapman, who is the star of the popular Hawai'i-based A&E show "Dog The Bounty Hunter," was arrested last month along with two of his co-stars for illegal detention and conspiracy in his capture of fugitive convicted rapist Andrew Luster, the Max Factor heir, on June 18, 2003, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Chapman was released on $300,000 bail the next day. He must attend extradition hearings to face trial in Mexico, where bounty hunting is considered a crime. Luster is now serving a 124-year prison term.

"It seems that Mexican authorities are pressing this case only because they are so stung by the embarrassment of failing where Mr. Chapman succeeded," the Republican congressman said in a statement.

All the signers of the letter listed by Tancredo are also Republican.