A bombshell revelation out of New Mexico has rocked both the judiciary and immigration enforcement communities—a sitting Democrat judge resigned abruptly last month after federal agents arrested an alleged member of the Tren de Aragua, one of the most violent criminal organizations in the Western Hemisphere, living in the judge’s own home.
The man in question, Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, 23, is a Venezuelan national who illegally crossed into the U.S. via Eagle Pass, Texas, during the height of the Biden-era border surge in December 2023. Due to overcrowding at detention facilities, he was released under immigration parole, a controversial policy that’s been used to manage overflow at the southern border.
Where did Ortega-Lopez end up? Living rent-free behind the home of Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife Nancy in New Mexico.
Court documents now detail an astonishing level of proximity between Ortega-Lopez and Judge Cano. Not only did Ortega-Lopez use the judge’s residential address on official immigration forms, but social media posts also show the two posing together. Prosecutors allege the judge allowed the illegal immigrant to live in a casita behind his home and may have known about his background.
Venezuelan Illegal With Alleged Tren de Aragua Ties Arrested for Possession of Firearm While Reportedly Living at Home of New Mexico Judge
Judge Jose “Joel” Cano abruptly resigned days after ICE HSI raid at his house in Las Cruces
Full story coming… pic.twitter.com/UvkrAC2PDT
— Border Hawk (@BorderHawkNews) April 18, 2025
It gets worse. Photos and videos extracted from Ortega-Lopez’s phone—entered into evidence by the U.S. Attorney’s Office—show him brandishing firearms, including AR-15 rifles, a semi-automatic pistol, and one rifle equipped with a suppressor. One video shows him firing an AR-15 until the magazine empties—then reloading and continuing to shoot. Others feature gang tattoos linked to the Tren de Aragua, now designated a Transnational Criminal Organization by the U.S. State Department under President Trump.
Even more chilling: authorities recovered graphic images of mutilated bodies and decapitations from the suspect’s phone, further confirming his alleged connections to organized crime.
Following a February 28 search warrant execution at the Cano residence, federal prosecutors formally charged Ortega-Lopez with illegal possession of firearms—a felony offense for non-citizens. Judge Cano resigned in March, without explanation, amid growing media scrutiny.
While Ortega-Lopez is currently held at the Doña Ana County Detention Center, questions are mounting: How much did Judge Cano and his wife know? Did they knowingly harbor a criminal alien? Did they aid and abet someone tied to a foreign terrorist group?
Authorities also found additional weapons at a home owned by Nancy Cano’s daughter, where Ortega-Lopez was reportedly seen handling firearms. So far, no charges have been filed against Cano or his family—but the optics are damning.
This case is more than a judicial scandal—it’s a microcosm of the Biden-era immigration system’s breakdown. Ortega-Lopez was caught, released, and embedded in an American community, where he secured shelter, firearms, and possibly protection—all while allegedly affiliated with a notorious, hyperviolent gang responsible for gruesome violence across Latin America.
The Tren de Aragua, formed in Venezuela’s prison system, has quickly expanded its operations to Colombia, Chile, Peru, and now the United States. The gang is accused of human trafficking, extortion, drug smuggling, and violent killings. The fact that someone linked to this group not only entered the U.S. but ended up housed by a sitting judge is a chilling indictment of systemic vulnerabilities.
