New Mexico

Chief Medina erupts in shouting match at ABQ City Hall as scandals explode

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Tensions boiled over Thursday night as Albuquerque City Councilor Louie Sanchez publicly clashed with Mary Tim Keller’s Police Chief Harold Medina during a heated budget meeting, laying bare what many see as the deep dysfunction and scandal-ridden leadership of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD).

The City Council, meeting as a Committee of the Whole to hash out the city’s budget for the fiscal year starting July 1, quickly descended into chaos when Medina appeared to defend APD’s latest $271.5 million funding request—a 5.2% increase over last year. The flashpoint came when Sanchez, a former police officer and current mayoral candidate, called out Medina’s casual appearance and lack of respect. “Nice of you to show up in a polo shirt today, chief,” Sanchez jabbed, adding, “Thanks for disrespecting us today.”

The exchange escalated when Sanchez pressed Medina on why the council was left in the dark about his request to bring in New Mexico National Guard troops to assist APD by handling lower-level duties, freeing up officers for other tasks. Medina, visibly rattled, fired back, branding Sanchez as “unprofessional” and defensively declaring, “I’m not going to sit here and let you abuse me,” while adding, “I hope the whole city of Albuquerque saw” Sanchez’s actions. Both men shouted over one another until the committee chair reluctantly restored order.

But the fireworks over budget figures and staffing levels are only the tip of the iceberg. The meeting spotlighted the much deeper rot under Medina’s leadership, which has left the department mired in scandal, corruption, and declining public trust.

Most damning is the federal investigation into a massive bribery scheme in which DWI cases were thrown out in exchange for cash—a scandal Medina’s department is directly implicated in. Dubbed the “DWI Enterprise,” the operation involved APD officers, deputies from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, and New Mexico State Police, who conspired with attorney Thomas Clear III and investigator Ricardo Mendez to get DWI charges dismissed for paying clients. This brazen scheme, ongoing since at least 2008, has triggered a wave of firings and resignations within APD, underscoring the pervasive corruption Medina has failed to root out.

Further, Medina’s leadership has been dogged by claims of nepotism and retaliatory practices within the APD academy. Seven instructors filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging they were punished for reporting that a cadet—coincidentally the son of a police commander—was reinstated after being dismissed for violating grooming standards and lying about it. The instructors were allegedly reassigned in retaliation, a move they say highlights Medina’s willingness to protect insiders at the expense of integrity and fairness.

Adding to the list of Medina’s misconduct is a February 2024 car crash where the chief ran a red light, colliding with another vehicle and seriously injuring its driver. In a blatant violation of department policy, Medina did not activate his body camera during the incident and later invoked his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination. This reckless behavior raised further concerns about accountability at the highest levels of APD leadership.

Against this backdrop of scandal and mismanagement, Councilor Sanchez grilled Medina about bloated upper management and the continued lack of “boots on the ground.” Sanchez demanded answers: “How are you going to do something to change your over-bloated upper echelon in reference to putting boots on the ground?” Medina, predictably defensive, justified the department’s top-heavy structure by citing the U.S. Department of Justice consent decree requiring reforms. “Maybe in 2011, with those low numbers of executives, we had a lack of supervision over people. We had a lack of holding people accountable because we had spans of control that were too wide,” he argued—despite the current scandals suggesting otherwise.

Councilor Dan Champine also weighed in, scrutinizing the $6.5 million set aside for command staff salaries, further amplifying concerns that APD’s budget continues to prioritize bureaucracy over real policing.

Adding fuel to the fire, Councilor Dan Lewis exposed what he described as a $5.4 million backdoor cut to APD’s budget, criticizing the department for diverting funds meant for vacant officer positions. “We’re cutting your budget by $5.4 million, and it’s going to other things. That’s the explanation. That’s exactly what’s going on,” Lewis said bluntly.

While Medina claimed APD had around 900 officers by late 2024 and projected 1,000 by the end of 2025, the reality remains bleak. Medina admitted that even if the $5.4 million were restored for officer salaries, it would likely be funneled elsewhere—a telling sign of misplaced priorities.

Chief Financial Officer Kevin Sourisseau, attempting to downplay the controversy, insisted that overall APD funding would increase and claimed it’s routine not to fund positions that won’t be filled. But given the department’s track record under Medina, reassurances from city officials rang hollow.

Despite all of this, the council advanced the budget proposal, with a final vote expected on May 20.

With Medina’s tenure marred by corruption scandals, mishandled investigations, and ballooning bureaucracy, Thursday’s explosive meeting made one thing clear: APD’s leadership is under fire—and the pressure for real reform is only growing louder.

Watch: 

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New records: MLG blew $96K on parties, perks while New Mexicans struggled

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New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has once again shown where her true priorities lie—blowing more than $96,000 of taxpayer money last year on extravagant personal perks and frivolous entertainment, all under the guise of “official obligations,” according to public records obtained by Target 7.

The spending spree—technically allowed under a sweeping state statute—has raised serious red flags among watchdog groups who warn that this type of unchecked spending is a blatant misuse of public funds. Instead of directing resources toward meaningful state needs, Lujan Grisham funneled money into fine dining, alcohol, and even badminton sets, highlighting a growing pattern of misplaced priorities in her administration.

Fine wine, posh parties, and party trinkets

Among the most galling expenditures: $6,400 blown on a Zozobra-themed bash, over $4,000 for a catered event at the ultra-upscale Sazón restaurant, and purchases at a high-end Santa Fe wine shop. That’s not to mention eyebrow-raising buys like Miller Lite, Tootsie Rolls, and party decorations—hardly essentials for running a state government. The governor’s office even used public money to pay Santa Fe’s 10-cent bag fee, a virtue-signaling tax Lujan Grisham herself championed as part of her so-called environmental initiatives.

Records also reveal badminton sets were bought with taxpayer funds—yet another trivial purchase that raises questions about the seriousness with which the governor treats public money.

Power the Future, a group critical of the governor’s energy policies, obtained the records via public request and found that some of these events weren’t even listed on Lujan Grisham’s public calendar. One pricey gathering—costing over $1,400—was held on a “personal day,” while another catered dinner for just five people ahead of Thanksgiving tallied more than $1,000.

The loophole that keeps on giving

Despite public outrage, legal analysts note that the spending skirts the edges of legality thanks to a conveniently vague law. In 2018, the legislature authorized the governor’s contingency fund for undefined “obligations of the governor’s office,” leaving the door wide open for abuse.

“It’s somewhat vague,” said KOAT legal analyst John Day. “It doesn’t say you can’t use these funds for X, Y, or Z. It just says the governor can use it to operate the office.”

This isn’t the first time a governor has drawn scrutiny over use of the fund. Former Gov. Susana Martinez famously used it for a pizza party that spiraled into scandal when guests were caught throwing bottles off a balcony. But while Lujan Grisham’s spending may appear more polished on the surface, critics warn that it’s no less concerning in terms of transparency and accountability.

A disappearing act for accountability

Paul Gessing of the Rio Grande Foundation underscored the deeper issue: the lack of robust oversight. “The governor and anybody who has this contingency fund could abuse that privilege,” Gessing noted. “And how you track that needs to be improved.”

Notably, while Martinez’s administration budgeted $70,000 for the fund, Lujan Grisham upped it to $96,000—and then conveniently shifted that line item out of sight. In 2022, the specific contingency fund line was absorbed into a murkier budget category labeled simply “Other,” allowing even less visibility into how taxpayer money is being spent.

According to her office, the fund remains intact but is now part of a general pot for various “operational expenses.” A spokesperson dismissed concerns, saying, “events at the mansion often occur spontaneously,” and that the governor is “almost always working in some fashion, regardless of whether her schedule indicates personal time.”

Optics matter—even if the dollar amount doesn’t

While the $96,000 blown by Lujan Grisham may seem like a drop in the bucket of New Mexico’s $10.8 billion budget, Gessing rightly points out that the symbolism matters. “It’s not a huge amount of money,” he said, “but it says a lot about the governor—whoever that governor is.”

In Lujan Grisham’s case, it says plenty: taxpayers are footing the bill for her lavish tastes and lack of financial restraint—while real issues in New Mexico remain neglected.

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Deb Haaland’s red flag: Proudly celebrates communist holiday

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Deb Haaland, a far-left Democrat candidate for New Mexico governor and former Biden Interior Secretary, is facing new backlash after marching shoulder to shoulder with left-wing activists at a May Day rally in Albuquerque—a holiday with unmistakable roots in communism and socialism.

Haaland promoted her participation on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Today, we march, we organize, and we rally for workers’ rights, fair pay, and safe working conditions. Grateful to join our laborers today for their May Day rally.”

The event saw teachers’ union officials and other demonstrators hoisting signs adorned with raised fists, a longtime symbol of Marxist revolution. Many carried slogans that appeared to mimic Soviet-era protest language, with red banners and socialist imagery dominating the rally.

This is no coincidence: May Day—officially known as International Workers’ Day—was embraced by communists globally as their signature holiday. While its origins lie in the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, it was Vladimir Lenin who solidified May Day’s place in history as a celebration of communist power, using it to stage massive military parades in Moscow’s Red Square throughout the 20th century. Another genocidal dictator, the Nazis’ Adolph Hitler, also widely celebrated the holiday in Germany during his rule.

To avoid this ideological baggage, the United States has historically distanced itself from May Day, choosing instead to honor workers with Labor Day in September. As Time Magazine noted, Labor Day was deliberately designed to “avoid the associations with the radical labor movements” that May Day represented.

Haaland’s May Day display has added fresh ammunition for her critics, who say she is increasingly aligning with the far left. That concern is not just coming from Republicans—her chief rival in the Democrat primary, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, has already attacked Haaland as “too socialist for New Mexico” earlier this year, painting her as out of step even with her own party’s moderates. He, however, is just as far-left, although it is unclear if he attended the communist May Day event.

With this latest rally, observers note that Haaland appears to be digging in her heels, embracing full-blown radicalism in what is shaping up to be a bitter primary fight. Photos from the event, which show her surrounded by militant protest imagery and union bosses, may play well with progressive activists, but they are raising eyebrows among centrist Democrats and independents concerned about New Mexico’s economic and cultural direction.

Adding to the growing narrative, speakers at the rally reportedly demanded expansive new government policies, including nationalized healthcare, massive green energy subsidies, and the dismantling of private education—policy positions that echo the socialist platforms of figures like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

While Haaland’s campaign insists her focus is “workers’ rights,” her visible embrace of May Day’s radical past is likely to remain a wedge issue in the 2026 race.

With the primary battle heating up, Haaland’s May Day gambit could define her campaign, for better or worse.

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Feds crush ‘historic’ ABQ-centered drug empire: Millions in drugs, cash seized

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A sprawling fentanyl trafficking network stretching from Albuquerque to Salem, Oregon, has been shattered by federal authorities in what’s being called one of the largest operations of its kind in U.S. history.

The takedown, made public this week, culminated in a massive sweep across New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Oregon. Federal agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized staggering amounts of contraband: over 4 million fentanyl pills, $4.4 million in cash, 79 pounds of meth, along with heroin, cocaine, and more than 41 firearms, according to records from the U.S. District Court in Albuquerque.

At the helm of this massive enterprise, prosecutors say, was Heriberto Salazar Amaya, apprehended in Portland, Oregon. Five others are already in custody in Albuquerque, following a 12-count grand jury indictment against 14 suspects. The sweeping charges include conspiracy, drug distribution, and employing an illegal alien.

“Defendants ran a continuing criminal enterprise … and they did so across a large swath of the United States,” prosecutors stated in a motion pushing for continued detention of the suspects. The court filing, which included charts highlighting drug overdose spikes in the affected states, described the operation as devastating. Three defendants in Albuquerque have already been ordered held without bail, with more hearings to come.

“The nature and circumstances of the conspiracy are sobering,” the motion emphasized. “The destruction that occurred in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and Colorado at the hands of the (Heriberto Salazar Amaya drug trafficking organization) mandate that defendants remain in custody pending trial.” Prosecutors didn’t mince words, accusing the group of “terrorizing five states while operating one of the largest fentanyl (drug trafficking organizations) in history.”

On Wednesday, defendants Cesar Acuna-Morena, Vincent Montoya, and David Altimirano Lopez appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Molzen in Albuquerque, all pleading not guilty. Fellow defendants Bruce Sedillo and David Anesi are also behind bars as the case moves forward.

Court documents noted that multiple defendants are Mexican nationals with “direct ties to Mexico,” though officials declined to provide further details this week.

The DEA’s probe dates back to 2024 and involved extensive tactics: surveillance, undercover buys, vehicle tracking, financial investigations, and intercepted communications.

According to prosecutors, the organization ran a slick and disciplined operation. Orders were placed and quickly dispatched by a fleet of couriers who followed detailed daily routes to deliver bulk shipments across cities including Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salem, and Layton, Utah.

Monday’s Albuquerque raids uncovered shocking hauls: hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills stuffed in bins inside a storage unit, and at a residence tied to Montoya, agents found $300,000 in cash, 365,000 fentanyl pills, meth, cocaine, and 39 guns—including a high-powered sniper rifle.

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Vasquez brags about voting against ‘Laken Riley Act’ at town hall

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New Mexico Democrat Rep. Gabe Vasquez is facing sharp criticism after touting his vote against the Laken Riley Act and attacking President Donald Trump’s immigration policies during an April 16 town hall event.

At the meeting, Vasquez proudly announced his opposition to the legislation, which was signed into law by Trump on January 29. “I did. I voted against [the bill],” Vasquez declared to cheers from the audience. He added, “Because due process is a fundamental part of who we are as Americans,” attempting to frame his opposition as a defense of constitutional rights — despite the clear public safety concerns the bill sought to address.

The Laken Riley Act was crafted following the brutal murder of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, who was killed while jogging in Athens, Georgia, by an illegal immigrant. The law requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain illegal aliens arrested or charged with violent crimes, closing dangerous loopholes in immigration enforcement.

Vasquez’s comments did not stop there. He went on to criticize Trump’s deportation policies, specifically lamenting the removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a suspected MS-13 gang member and illegal immigrant. Vasquez claimed the deportations are “testing and stretching the fabric of our democracy to a place we have never seen before,” suggesting that American citizens could someday face similar removal if Trump’s policies are allowed to continue.

Meanwhile, data released by DHS in March shows Trump’s administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, leading to a 627% increase in monthly arrests compared to the Biden administration’s lax record the year prior. Vasquez’s comments have been picked up in the national press, including by Fox News.

Republicans swiftly pushed back on Vasquez’s stance. Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose district includes the largest stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border, defended the Laken Riley Act, telling Fox News Digital, “Border security is a real and lasting issue as a result of four years of inaction under President Biden. That’s why Americans voted for safer communities and to restore law and order, and President Trump is delivering on that promise with legislation like the Laken Riley Act.”

National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesman Zach Bannon also weighed in, slamming Vasquez’s repeated prioritization of illegal immigrants over American citizens. “Time and time again, out-of-touch Democrat Gabe Vasquez chooses to prioritize criminal illegal aliens over the well-being of hardworking New Mexicans,” Bannon said. “He’s completely abandoned common sense, pandering to the radical left while betraying the very people who will vote him out of office next year.”

Abrego Garcia, whom Vasquez defended, had been living in Maryland before his deportation to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) — a facility built to house violent gang members. He was previously pulled over in an SUV tied to another illegal immigrant arrested for human smuggling.

Under Trump’s leadership, immigration enforcement is once again being taken seriously — a sharp contrast to Vasquez’s radical pro-illegal immigration stance.

With public outrage growing over crimes committed by illegal immigrants, Vasquez’s celebration of his vote against the Laken Riley Act may well become a major liability heading into the 2026 election cycle.

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New Mexico one of the worst states for working moms: Report

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As Mother’s Day approaches, a new WalletHub report reveals troubling news for New Mexico’s working mothers. In its 2025 Best & Worst States for Working Moms rankings, the Land of Enchantment placed an alarming 47th out of 51, one of the worst showings in the nation.

WalletHub’s study evaluated all 50 states and the District of Columbia using 17 key indicators of work-life balance, child-care access, and professional opportunities for women. Metrics included the female unemployment rate, child-care costs relative to income, and the availability of childcare services. New Mexico’s poor performance reflects serious and persistent problems for working families across the state.

The findings come at a time when 74% of women with children under 18 are participating in the workforce nationally. However, in New Mexico, where Democrat politicians have dominated state government for nearly 90 years, outcomes for working mothers continue to lag far behind national averages. High poverty rates, low median wages for women, subpar public school performance, and limited access to quality child care contribute to the state’s dismal ranking.

States that ranked highest for working mothers, such as Massachusetts and Connecticut, boasted stronger educational systems, better economic opportunities, and more accessible child care. Meanwhile, New Mexico’s decades of single-party leadership have coincided with economic stagnation, poor educational outcomes, and policies that have failed to create a thriving environment for working families.

Despite promises over the years to improve conditions for women and families, New Mexico continues to face some of the nation’s highest child poverty rates and one of the weakest labor force participation rates among women.

Even as other states have expanded opportunities through private-sector growth and educational choice, New Mexico has mainly remained tethered to government-driven solutions that have shown limited success.

The WalletHub report serves as a stark reminder that political leadership matters when it comes to the economic well-being of families. After nearly a century of Democrat rule, New Mexico working mothers are still waiting for meaningful improvements that would allow them to balance career ambitions with raising a family.

To view the full rankings and methodology, visit WalletHub’s website here.

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What to know about the arrest of Democrat ex-judge Joel Cano, wife

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Former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano, a Democrat, and his wife, Nancy Cano, were arrested Thursday following a federal raid on their Las Cruces home. The couple is accused of tampering with evidence while allegedly harboring Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an illegal alien believed to be affiliated with the notorious Venezuelan Tren de Aragua (TDA) gang—a violent transnational criminal organization expanding its footprint in the U.S.

The explosive arrest follows Ortega-Lopez’s discovery at the Cano residence in February. Court records reveal that Nancy Cano initially hired him for home repairs and later invited him to stay in the couple’s guesthouse, despite his illegal status and alleged gang ties.

“Under President Trump, we have arrested over 150,000 aliens—including more than 600 members of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “If you are here illegally and break the law, we will hunt you down, arrest you and lock you up. That’s a promise.”

Photos submitted as evidence in court filings show Ortega-Lopez celebrating Christmas and eating dinner with the Cano family—raising serious questions about how deeply the Canos were entangled with a known criminal. Investigators also uncovered gang-affiliated paraphernalia, including TDA-related clothing, tattoos, voicemails, and texts.

Federal documents confirm Ortega-Lopez illegally crossed the border near Eagle Pass, Texas, on December 15, 2023, and was released three days later due to overcrowding—despite being subject to deportation under the Immigration and Nationality Act. He was issued a Notice to Appear and released into the country.

Further investigation revealed firearms stored at the residence of the Canos’ daughter, April Cano, with some weapons appearing in social media photos where Ortega-Lopez posed with them. He now faces federal charges for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5), which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

Former ICE Field Office Director John Fabbricatore called the incident a serious red flag:

“Doña Ana County has been a hotbed of illegal immigration and drug trafficking, human smuggling for many, many years. To see that a judge would allow this to happen. It’s very concerning. What else has the judge been doing?”

After the February raid, Cano resigned from his judicial post in March. On Tuesday, the New Mexico Supreme Court permanently disbarred him from ever holding a judgeship in the state again.

The backlash from local leaders has been swift.

“The people of New Mexico are tired of a system where the powerful don’t play by their own rules,” said Amy Barela, Republican Party Chairwoman for New Mexico. “We demand real accountability for Judge Cano’s connection to a gang-affiliated criminal and full transparency on how our judiciary is being held to the same laws as the rest of us. Enough is enough.”

Homeland Security Investigations is continuing to lead the case, with potential for more charges or co-conspirators to be revealed.

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Dead baby found in dumpster after NM Dems kill safe haven bill again

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In a horrifying and heartbreaking development, a newborn was found dead in a dumpster in Albuquerque this week, marking yet another preventable tragedy in New Mexico’s growing list of infant abandonments.

This shocking discovery comes on the heels of several high-profile cases, including the 2022 viral footage of Alexis Avila discarding her infant into a dumpster in Hobbs and the 2023 case of Alexee Trevizo, charged with murder after her newborn was discovered in a hospital trash can in Artesia. Since 2019, New Mexico has recorded at least five such cases—each one stirring public outrage, but little to no action from state lawmakers.

Authorities are now investigating the Albuquerque case, while local officials scramble to respond by considering the installation of a Safe Haven Baby Box—an anonymous, secure surrender site for parents in crisis.

“We are working on it and looking at all the options to get these installed,” said Bernalillo County Fire Department spokesperson William Harris to KOAT 7 News. “We all have our bleeding hearts, and we want these babies to be safe.”

But the grim truth is that this could have been avoided. For five consecutive legislative sessions, the Democrat-controlled New Mexico Legislature has refused to pass legislation that would allow Safe Haven Baby Boxes to be installed statewide. These boxes have saved lives elsewhere and have already proven successful in places like Hobbs and Belen.

“We are hearing of newborns abandoned in the trash every year in New Mexico—yet the Democrat majority in our legislature refuses to pass a law expanding access to Safe Haven Baby Boxes statewide,” said Elisa Martinez, Executive Director of the New Mexico Alliance for Life. “We are dealing with a death cult in the New Mexico legislature that has no value for life before or after birth. The same legislators [who] support abortion up to the moment of birth for any reason are also responsible for blocking the Safe Haven Baby Box bill. How many innocent babies must die alone in a [trash can] before they act?”

In contrast, local efforts have stepped up where the state has failed. Hobbs has seen three safe surrenders in just the past 18 months, and in one touching case, a Belen firefighter who witnessed a baby’s surrender adopted the child shortly thereafter.

“Safe Haven Baby Boxes provide a safe, anonymous way for mothers to surrender infants,” said Sen. David Gallegos (R-Eunice). “Every year, Democrats offer a new excuse to block this life-saving and compassionate bill that has nothing to do with abortion. They’ve controlled both houses of the legislature for nearly a decade, and still—every year—we hear a new excuse.”

Safe Haven Baby Boxes have no connection to abortion and offer a life-affirming, confidential way for desperate parents to ensure their child is cared for. The devices are installed in fire stations and hospitals, alerting personnel the moment a baby is placed inside so the infant can receive immediate care.

As another child is lost to abandonment, the New Mexico Alliance for Life is renewing its call for urgent legislative action.

“This is a matter of life and death,” said Martinez. “It’s time for lawmakers to stop playing politics and start protecting the most innocent among us.”

Unless the Democrat majority relents and allows this life-saving measure to move forward, New Mexico risks repeating this cycle of tragedy again and again.

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U.S. military now authorized to detain criminal aliens in New Mexico

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American troops now have the authority to detain and search immigrants lacking certain documentation in New Mexico, a role service members have not held before at the southern border, U.S. Northern Command (Northcom) said Monday.

Northcom said troops “have been delegated the authority” to conduct security support operations in the New Mexico National Defense Area, a zone that runs along the U.S.-Mexico border now considered part of the Army’s Fort Huachuca in Arizona.

The authorization means service members can now temporarily detain and search trespassers, provide medical assistance, and implement crowd control on the military-controlled land until appropriate law enforcement can take custody of an individual, according to a statement from Northcom, the command leading military efforts in the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

Service members also may assist with setting up temporary barriers, signage, and fencing if requested, Northcom said. 

“Through these enhanced authorities, U.S. Northern Command will ensure those who illegally trespass in the New Mexico National Defense Area are handed over to Customs and Border Protection or our other law enforcement partners,” Northcom Commander Gen. Gregory Guillot said in a statement. 

He added that Joint Task Force-Southern Border, the military task force charged with supporting border security, “will conduct enhanced detection and monitoring, which will include vehicle and foot patrols, rotary wing, and fixed surveillance site operations.”

The new authorization comes after President Trump on April 11 directed the control of the Roosevelt Reservation area in New Mexico be transferred from the Department of the Interior to the Defense Department for a period of three years to support Border Patrol.

The transfer, which made the strip of land part of an Army installation, effectively allows the administration to bypass a federal law that prohibits American troops from carrying out domestic law enforcement on U.S. soil.

The move is a significant shift in the military’s role at the border, with troops over the last several administrations only supporting law enforcement agencies and not meant to come into contact with individuals crossing the border.

Guillot last month told lawmakers that the 6,500 service members at the southern border were supporting Customs and Border Protection and “are not currently doing any detentions.”

But that is expected to change with Trump’s new authorization, with plans to increase the area within which troops can detain and search migrants. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on April 15 that the new national defense area spans more than 170 miles across the border in New Mexico and said “in the coming weeks, this administration will add more than 90 miles in the state of Texas.”

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NM makes national headlines after Dem judge tied to gang suspect resigns

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Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano has officially resigned amid swirling controversy surrounding a federal investigation into a Venezuelan national linked to a violent transnational gang who was arrested at the judge’s Las Cruces home.

Cano, who has served on the bench since 2011, submitted his resignation on March 3 without citing a reason. However, the move came just days after federal agents raided a property owned by Cano and his wife, Nancy, arresting 23-year-old Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a man currently facing federal firearm charges and under scrutiny for alleged ties to the notorious Tren de Aragua gang. The case has since drawn national attention, with outlets such as Fox News, Newsweek, The Daily Caller, and New York Post picking up the story. Even the British Daily Mail has reported on the incident.

In his resignation letter, Cano wrote, “Working with each of you has been a very rewarding experience for which I will remain eternally grateful.” His last day on the job was March 21, the same day he held his final hearings, according to court records.

The arrest has ignited concern over how a man accused of gang affiliation and illegal firearm possession came to reside on property owned by a sitting judge. Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant on Feb. 28 at the Cano residence, where Ortega-Lopez was found. Agents also retrieved four firearms from a nearby house owned by April Cano, Nancy Cano’s daughter, according to court documents.

A criminal complaint alleges that Ortega-Lopez admitted to handling and firing these weapons, and prosecutors presented social media images allegedly showing him posing with the firearms. In one of the exhibits introduced in court, Ortega-Lopez is even pictured alongside Judge Cano.

The Venezuelan national, who is in the U.S. unlawfully, was charged with being an alien in possession of firearms and ammunition, a felony that could carry up to 15 years in federal prison. He was previously caught by Border Patrol agents after crossing the southern border near Eagle Pass, Texas, but was released due to overcrowding and placed on humanitarian parole, according to federal records.

Prosecutors assert that Ortega-Lopez poses both a flight risk and a threat to public safety. “He is believed to have ties to the Tren de Aragua,” a criminal organization originating in Venezuela, prosecutors argue in motions to keep him detained without bond.

Court records reveal that Ortega-Lopez moved to El Paso and then to Las Cruces, where he met Nancy Cano while working construction jobs. She reportedly offered him housing in a detached casita behind the Cano residence. He listed the address in a 2024 immigration relief application.

Further troubling for federal prosecutors is Ortega-Lopez’s alleged access to multiple firearms through April Cano. “She possessed a large number of firearms,” court documents state, “and allowed him to hold and sometimes shoot various firearms,” including rifles and handguns that later appeared in social media posts.

During a detention hearing on March 14, U.S. Magistrate Judge Damian Martinez initially leaned toward releasing Ortega-Lopez, saying, “I don’t think [Judge Cano] would just let anybody live in his property.” Prosecutors swiftly appealed, challenging Martinez’s decision and noting his request for pretrial services to assess Nancy Cano as a potential third-party custodian, even though the arrest occurred at her residence.

As of now, Ortega-Lopez remains behind bars at the Doña Ana County Detention Center pending another detention hearing.

While Joel Cano has not been charged with any crimes, his sudden resignation and the national spotlight on his association with an alleged gang-linked individual have prompted significant scrutiny. Some comentators have described the situation as “deeply alarming,” raising broader concerns about judicial integrity and border enforcement gaps.

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