Democratic New Mexico judge resigns after being found harboring illegal TdA member

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (TNND) — A Democratic New Mexico judge who resigned his post last month was found harboring an illegal migrant in his home, according to court documents obtained by The National News Desk.

Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano announced his resignation in March, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The publication acknowledged he was a Democrat and former police officer.

Through his letter did not give a reason for the resignation, it came shortly after Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents found Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an illegal migrant and Tren de Aragua member.

Ortega-Lopez became the subject of a DHS investigation in January after a tipster alleged he had entered the U.S. from Venezuela. There were firearms at his residence, the documents alleged.

DHS officials discovered Ortega-Lopez had entered the U.S. in December 2023. He was released by Border Patrol officials due to “overcrowding” at his border facility with removal proceedings pending against him.

Ortega-Lopez, according to the documents, began posting images on Facebook which “displayed clear indicators of his association with Tren de Aragua.” The lawsuit went on the describe the migrant as “both a flight risk and a danger.”

DHS agents then executed a search warrant on a house belonging to Cano, which they believed Ortega-Lopez was staying in. They found four firearms there in violation of immigration law.

Cano’s wife allegedly offered to house Ortega-Lopez after he got a job installing a glass door for her at the house.

“The weight of the evidence is significant,” the lawsuit reads. “Based on the criminal complaint, in addition to posting multiple photos of himself with firearms on his personal social media account, the Defendant admitted in a post-Miranda statement to Agents that he knowingly possessed firearms in violation of the law.”

The Trump administration in February designated Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization. President Donald Trump last month invoked the Alien Enemies Act, which allows the administration to immediately remove Tren de Aragua members.

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