illegal aliens

‘Had to run’: Vasquez flees border wall question during press briefing

30 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Far-left Democrat U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez is once again refusing to answer whether he supports extending the southern border wall near Sunland Park—this time around Mount Cristo Rey, a revered religious site known for its iconic 29-foot statue of Jesus.

The area has been labeled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as “a major human smuggling infiltration site for the cartels,” highlighting growing concern over national security and human trafficking. But Vasquez—who has long opposed border enforcement efforts—won’t say where he stands.

According to a recent Source New Mexico article, Vasquez declined to comment when first asked about the wall extension. Then, during a subsequent virtual press briefing with New Mexico’s congressional delegation, Vasquez abruptly left before addressing a question submitted by The Santa Fe New Mexican asking if he supported or opposed the Cristo Rey wall extension.

Vasquez excused his departure by saying he “had to run,” deferring to his communications director Delaney Wehn, who was “on the chat” to field further questions. However, when the newspaper followed up, Wehn did not respond. Even after a second attempt this week, Wehn simply replied: “Thanks for following up here. Apologies, no answers for you at this time.”

The silence is deafening—especially from a congressman representing a border district during a time of record-breaking illegal crossings and cartel violence.

Vasquez’s refusal to answer isn’t surprising given his radical record on border security. In 2022, Vasquez called the existing U.S.-Mexico border wall a “racist political stunt” and said it was “not who we are as a country.” He has previously argued that “barriers and walls” only serve to “divide communities and perpetuate racism,” even as Border Patrol agents in his district struggle to contain daily waves of illegal crossings, drug smuggling, and human trafficking.

He has also openly opposed Title 42, the Trump-era policy that allowed for swift deportation of illegal immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, Vasquez has advocated for expanded “pathways to citizenship” and broader asylum protections, aligning himself with the most extreme elements of the open-borders left.

Now, even as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”—a comprehensive legislative package that includes border security investments and increased funding for immigration enforcement agents—is under national debate, Vasquez won’t say whether he supports any of its border provisions.

Vasquez’s unwillingness to take a stand—on either the Cristo Rey wall extension or the broader border funding—shows a troubling pattern of dodging responsibility while his constituents face the real consequences of his inaction. But since Vasquez’s previous statements speak volumes, it’s a sure bet Vasquez remains as radically open-borders as before.

With New Mexico communities overwhelmed by cross-border crime and federal agents stretched thin, Vasquez’s silence speaks volumes.

‘Had to run’: Vasquez flees border wall question during press briefing Read More »

U.S. citizen caught smuggling 13 illegals under flatbed near Deming

17 Comments / New Mexico, News / By

In a striking victory for border security and President Donald J. Trump’s strengthened immigration enforcement agenda, U.S. Border Patrol agents near Deming, New Mexico, intercepted a tractor-trailer smuggling 13 illegal aliens in a covert and dangerous operation orchestrated by a Maryland-based U.S. citizen. The late-night bust highlights the effectiveness of President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” and the reinvigorated border force’s commitment to cracking down on transnational criminal enterprises.

According to court records and a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, agents with the Deming Station Disrupt Unit were monitoring Interstate 10 around 12:25 a.m. on June 25 when they spotted a suspicious red International tractor-trailer hauling an empty flatbed—a common tactic used by smugglers to conceal human cargo. The vehicle, with Maryland and Maine plates, attempted to bypass a known Border Patrol checkpoint by taking a circuitous route north on Gold Road and east on State Road 26.

Upon pulling the vehicle over near mile marker 11, agents encountered 40-year-old Jarol Wilberto Arroyo-Cerin, who initially appeared cooperative. After granting permission to search the cab, agents discovered one woman hiding inside. Further inspection revealed a shocking sight: 12 more individuals crammed into hidden compartments, including under the flatbed, laying on wooden boards and rubber mats—conditions described by witnesses as dangerous, uncomfortable, and terrifying.

The 13 smuggled individuals originated from Mexico, Guatemala, and Ecuador, including an unaccompanied minor. All admitted to illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, primarily near Mount Cristo Rey. Witnesses detailed how they were picked up in black vehicles and delivered to a semi-truck at a shopping mall in El Paso. One material witness stated the driver gave specific instructions to hide in the trailer’s floor compartment—an area so cramped and unstable it left them fearing for their life.

Following his arrest, Arroyo-Cerin confessed to agents that he had repeatedly transported illegal aliens—about six at a time—on at least five prior occasions. He was allegedly recruited at a truck stop in Albuquerque by a known associate working with smuggling operations and was being paid per person.

Arroyo-Cerin now faces federal charges for conspiracy to bring in and transport illegal aliens, a felony under 8 U.S.C. § 1324. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and El Paso Sector Border Patrol Chief Walter N. Slosar announced the charges, praising the agents’ work as part of Operation Take Back America—a DOJ-led initiative championed under President Trump’s administration to destroy cartels, eliminate transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and repel the ongoing invasion at the southern border.

“This case proves that our border agents, empowered under President Trump’s leadership, are doing what it takes to dismantle smuggling networks and protect American communities,” said Ellison. “We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to uphold the rule of law and deliver justice.”

The investigation was led by the U.S. Border Patrol with prosecution by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Tonkin under the Department of Justice’s coordinated crackdown on illegal immigration and organized crime.

With America’s renewed commitment to border enforcement, operations like this show that the days of open borders and unchecked smuggling are over. President Trump’s immigration force is not only back—it’s working.

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Lawsuit over illegal alien insurance scheme survives legal hurdle

13 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

A lawsuit seeking to expose the inner workings of a government-backed health coverage scheme that would provide insurance to illegal aliens and other uninsurable individuals will move forward, after a New Mexico judge denied a motion to dismiss the case on Tuesday. The ruling by Second Judicial District Judge Daniel Ramczyk allows plaintiffs to proceed with their claims that the New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool (NMMIP) violated both the Open Meetings Act (OMA) and the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA).

The lawsuit, brought by businessman Duke Rodriguez—a former Cabinet secretary and potential Republican gubernatorial candidate—and Kristina Caffrey, chief legal officer at Ultra Health, targets what they call a deliberate attempt to conceal the operations of the NMMIP from public scrutiny. The pool was created by the Legislature in 1987 to provide health insurance to high-risk individuals with severe or costly medical conditions. Yet questions persist as to whether it is a public agency subject to transparency laws or merely a private nonprofit operating with public funds behind closed doors.

In defense of the NMMIP, attorney Carlos Padilla claimed it is a “nonprofit organization wholly independent of state government,” arguing that while the pool may voluntarily comply with some transparency practices, it is not legally required to do so. However, plaintiffs argue that this position is intentionally contradictory. The pool accepted a $1.75 million no-bid contract from the state’s Health Care Authority in February under the guise of a “governmental services agreement”—a contract form typically reserved for transactions between state agencies. This contract was explicitly intended to launch a coverage expansion that would extend state-subsidized health insurance to illegal aliens and other high-risk groups.

Attorney Jacob Candelaria, representing Rodriguez and Caffrey, called the state’s subsequent cancellation of the contract a “classic attempt at a movida,” according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. After granting the agreement without public input or a competitive bidding process, the state suddenly reversed course, citing the fact that NMMIP is “not a governmental or quasi-governmental agency.” Candelaria didn’t hold back, saying bluntly, “They got their hands caught in the cookie jar.”

At the center of the NMMIP is its acting executive director, former state Rep. Deborah Armstrong, a far-left Albuquerque Democrat and close political ally of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Armstrong is also the owner of a private firm that manages all of the pool’s contractors under a lucrative executive services contract. In a prior interview, Armstrong downplayed the controversy, claiming that the Health Care Authority simply misunderstood the nature of the pool’s structure, which she described as “legislatively created, nonprofit, and without hardly anything that would tie us directly to the government.”

But this isn’t the first time the New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool has drawn scrutiny. In fact, its past is marked by numerous red flags. From 2014 to 2017, Armstrong’s firm, Delta Consulting Group, was paid over $2 million in taxpayer money to administer the program, even as enrollment plummeted from 8,500 to just 2,400 participants. The premiums charged by the pool were routinely higher than those on the private market, yet often covered only a fraction of the actual claims. In 2013 alone, premiums covered less than 20% of the total cost of claims, leaving taxpayers and insurance ratepayers to foot the rest of the bill. Meanwhile, budget analysts repeatedly warned that the pool had outlived its usefulness after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, which made high-risk pools largely obsolete by providing more comprehensive and affordable coverage options.

Yet the program persisted—fueled by political connections and backroom deals. Rather than wind down the pool, Armstrong and Lujan Grisham advocated to keep it alive, despite its financial inefficiencies and questionable benefits for New Mexico residents. With millions in public funds flowing into a politically connected nonprofit that refuses to be transparent, critics argue the NMMIP has become less about helping vulnerable patients and more about enriching a select few insiders.

The current lawsuit aims to force long-overdue accountability. Rodriguez and Caffrey argue that any entity created by the Legislature and receiving public funds should be subject to the same openness and transparency as any other state agency, especially when those funds are being used to provide benefits to individuals living in the country illegally. As the case moves forward, it will test not only the integrity of New Mexico’s sunshine laws but also the public’s willingness to tolerate politically protected entities operating in the shadows with taxpayer dollars.

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US Attorney: 11 illegals locked up, ransomed, threatened by Cartel in NM

10 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

In a disturbing yet telling case that highlights the dire need for strong border enforcement, two criminal aliens are now facing federal charges in New Mexico for harboring and smuggling illegal immigrants — a direct result of the failed, one-term Biden administration’s weak border policies and a stark reminder of why President Trump’s tough-on-crime, tough-on-border-security agenda is more necessary than ever.

According to a press release from the Department of Justice and the unsealed indictment, Isaias David Jose and Tomas Mateo Gaspar were arrested following an FBI-led operation that uncovered a disturbing kidnapping-for-ransom scheme in Albuquerque. The duo allegedly ran a stash house holding 11 illegal immigrants, including an unaccompanied minor, in inhumane conditions. Victims reported being locked in rooms, threatened with violence or with being handed over to the brutal Zeta Cartel — a transnational criminal organization known for its savage brutality.

It all began on March 1, 2025, when the FBI received a complaint about a kidnapping. The perpetrators demanded a ransom of 90,000 Guatemalan quetzales (approximately $11,600 USD) and threatened to transfer the victim to the Zeta Cartel if payment wasn’t received. In an effort to terrorize the family into compliance, “proof of life” videos were sent showing the victim in captivity.

By March 2, federal agents used phone data to locate the hideout — a barely furnished residence in southwest Albuquerque packed with over 20 cell phones, a smuggling ledger, and the terrified detainees. Victims identified both Jose and Gaspar as the ringleaders who made the ransom videos and enforced the threats.

They were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324 — charges that could land them each up to five years in prison. The case is being prosecuted under “Operation Take Back America,” an aggressive Department of Justice initiative designed to root out human smuggling rings, dismantle cartel networks, and defend American communities from the chaos unleashed by illegal immigration.

This case underscores a hard truth: human smugglers and cartel-linked traffickers are not only exploiting America’s open-border policies, they are bringing their violent tactics deep into our cities, and people are paying the price.

While the Biden administration turned a blind eye and continued dismantling Trump-era enforcement policies (which are now restored), this arrest is a stark reminder of why strong, uncompromising immigration enforcement is essential to American safety and sovereignty. President Trump’s leadership and Operation Take Back America offer a blueprint for restoring law and order and securing our borders once and for all.

New Mexicans should be proud of and support these federal efforts to crack down on human trafficking and illegal immigration. It’s time to build the wall, secure the border, and deport those who violate our nation’s laws — before more innocent lives are put at risk.

To read more about the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and read the indictment, click here.

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Open-borders activist Vasquez breaks silence on LA illegal alien riots

27 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Open-borders activist Rep. Gabe Vasquez, a Democrat from New Mexico’s 2nd district, released what can only be called a petulant rant via X post aimed at federal efforts to remove criminal illegal aliens who were actively attacking immigration officers. Vasquez complained that Trump’s decision “turns federal agents and the military against American citizens” and “transforms our streets into war zones,” whining that it establishes a “chilling precedent.” The X post was locked from his constituents commenting, as all his other posts are — a testament to his lack of transparency.

In reality, the deployment of approximately 2,000 National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles under Title 10 authority—an extraordinary step last seen in 1965—was not aimed at ordinary citizens, but at violent insurrectionists. Trump acted in response to criminal alien mobs hurling concrete and rocks at Border Patrol and ICE agents during enforcement actions. These protests escalated into what Trump rightly called “violent, insurrectionist mobs” and a “migrant invasion” as demonstrators attempted to halt deportation operations. Rioters set fires, blew up cars, many of them electric and emitting toxic fumes, and looted local shops and stores in acts of depravity.

Curiously, Vasquez fails to condemn the violence unleashed by these illegal-alien extremists. Instead, he chose to lash out at Trump’s decisive action to protect law enforcement and restore order. The deployment followed riots in downtown Los Angeles, Paramount, and Compton, where protesters set vehicles on fire—including California Highway Patrol and Waymo autonomous cars—and attacked federal officers with bottles and concrete. Over 100 arrests were made amid the chaotic scenes. 

Vasquez’s tantrum comes on the heels of a record of radical open-borders rhetoric catalogued by our previous reporting. He previously dismissed Trump’s border-enforcement measures as a “made-for-TV stunt,” calling them “misguided and wasteful,” even though he acknowledged Trump had reduced illegal entries. He labeled the border wall “racist,” demanded it be “torn down,” and disparaged it as “ineffective,” “costly,” and “a symbol of hate.” He went further, calling border-security efforts “a glorification of xenophobia,” “environmentally destructive,” “massive wastes of money,” and said building walls was “in bad taste.” 

What’s more, he has called for dismantling ICE entirely—accusing it of having “no regard for humanity”—and celebrated when President Biden halted wall construction. Even amid active criminal scenarios, Vasquez smugly declared the “border crisis” a “non-existent threat.”

This isn’t moderate critique or “compassionate reform.” It’s ideological zeal from a lawmaker fixated on optics rather than addressing real threats. Now, Vasquez tries to twist Trump’s actions as targeting citizens, but that’s a straw-man attack. It was aimed squarely at criminal illegal aliens leading insurrectionist violence.

Trump’s response was straightforward: deploying federal forces under a valid Title 10 order, with Marines on standby and National Guard mobilized, not to terrorize citizens, but to protect federal agents from anarchic criminal alien mobs.

Vasquez labeled that necessary enforcement a “war zone,” yet ignores how local L.A. officials, despite so-called “sanctuary status,” warned that federal agents and officers were overwhelmed. Criminal mobs were the ones causing terror, not Trump.

Bottom line: Vasquez isn’t calling for smarter policy—he’s whining because enforcement actually occurred. His open-borders obsession has led him to dismiss violent criminal actions by illegal aliens, ghosting their threats in favor of a partisan narrative. Voters in border districts suffering from cartel trafficking and migrant violence deserve genuine safety, not sanctimonious obsession with tearing down state authority and flattening law enforcement.

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Lujan Grisham defends rioters attacking federal agents in Los Angeles

44 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is once again siding with criminality and chaos over law and order—this time, joining a coalition of Democrat governors condemning President Donald Trump’s deployment of California’s National Guard to restore order in Los Angeles. The statement, issued by the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), blasts Trump’s move as an “abuse of power” while ignoring the reality on the ground: federal agents are facing violent uprisings, including attacks from criminal illegal aliens and radical agitators, while attempting to enforce the law and uphold their constitutional duties.

As President Trump acts decisively to quell unrest and secure the streets, Lujan Grisham and her far-left colleagues have responded not with support for law enforcement but with partisan outrage. 

The DGA’s statement claims that deploying National Guard forces without a governor’s approval is “ineffective and dangerous,” and even goes as far as accusing the president of “undermining the mission of our service members.”

But critics say it’s Governor Lujan Grisham who is undermining public safety and the rule of law.

“The Democratic governors are defending the lawless. Every Democrat governor just endorsed lawlessness and chaos on American streets. Putting people’s lives at risk,” wrote the Republican Governors Association in a direct rebuke of the DGA’s statement.

Governor Lujan Grisham’s record speaks for itself. One of her very first acts in office back in 2019 was to remove National Guard troops from the southern border—signaling to both illegal immigrants and criminal cartels that New Mexico would no longer cooperate with federal efforts to secure the border. Her open-borders agenda has continued ever since.

In one of her most infamous political stunts, Lujan Grisham released a campaign ad in which she literally ran through a wall in an attempt to mock President Trump’s border security policies. The bizarre video was widely ridiculed but symbolized her ongoing hostility toward any serious effort to control illegal immigration.

She recently signed legislation to allow non-citizens to become law enforcers in New Mexico, as well as legislation to ban compliance with federal authorities acting to find criminal aliens present in the state.

Now, she’s extending that hostility to President Trump’s efforts to protect American communities from violent unrest.

Far-left Democrat Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico’s First Congressional District defended the illegal alien rioters, claiming they were the United States’ “own people,” which is false, and not acknowledging that the rioters were attacking federal authorities, requiring a federal response, as Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and other Democrat officials refused to stop the lawlessness.

Antifa, radicalized terrorist sympathizers, George Soros-linked groups, among others, helped organize the Los Angeles protest, according to multiple reports.

While President Trump is working to restore order in Los Angeles, where federal officers are under siege by violent mobs, including illegal aliens, Governor Lujan Grisham is busy penning statements of outrage, defending criminals, and undermining the brave men and women who are risking their lives to defend the public.

Her allegiance lies not with the citizens of New Mexico or the law-abiding residents of America’s cities, but with the radical fringe that seeks to dismantle law enforcement and sabotage efforts to restore peace.

As violent unrest spirals out of control, Americans are watching closely. And they will remember which leaders stood for order—and which ones, like Michelle Lujan Grisham, chose chaos.

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Keller ‘proud’ NM counties, cities listed as ‘sanctuaries’ for criminal aliens

39 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

As the Trump administration moves decisively to uphold federal immigration laws and protect American citizens, far-left Democrat leaders in New Mexico are proudly doubling down on their defiance. 

Chief among them is Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, who took to X to gloat about the city’s inclusion on the Department of Homeland Security’s official list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” — an indicator of non-compliance with federal immigration statutes.

“We expected this designation — Albuquerque’s immigrant-friendly policies reflect who we are,” Keller posted, calling it “a badge of courage” and vowing not to be “bullied” into enforcing federal law. Rather than expressing concern about the potential loss of federal funds or the safety implications of harboring criminal aliens, Keller made clear that his administration is committed to ideological resistance, no matter the cost to law-abiding residents.

The list, published on May 29, includes 23 New Mexico counties and two cities — Albuquerque and Santa Fe — that, according to DHS, refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. This followed President Donald Trump’s April 28 executive order directing federal agencies to withhold funding from jurisdictions that shield illegal aliens from deportation.

In a statement that underscores the lawless posture of sanctuary cities, DHS wrote: “Each jurisdiction listed will receive formal notification of its non-compliance with Federal statutes. DHS demands that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with Federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens.”

But rather than taking this warning seriously, Democrats like Keller seem emboldened. His X post reflects the same out-of-touch political theater that has defined the progressive left’s stance on immigration, where shielding criminal aliens is viewed as virtuous, and federal law is something to scoff at.

Indeed, it’s not just defiance — it’s negligence. The dangerous policies pushed by Keller and fellow Democrats, including far-left Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, jeopardize public safety and disrespect the rule of law. The governor’s office, instead of committing to work with federal authorities, issued a deflective statement suggesting that counties might have been “mischaracterized.” No apology. No commitment to course-correct. Just more spin.

Meanwhile, radical organizations like the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center are already planning to double down in the next legislative session to further “protect” illegal immigrants, with the enthusiastic backing of progressive lawmakers and municipal leaders.

It’s no wonder New Mexico continues to struggle with crime, drug trafficking, and cartel violence. Sanctuary policies attract criminals, overwhelm resources, and endanger legal residents. President Trump’s administration is finally putting sanctuary jurisdictions on notice. Whether New Mexico Democrats will ever put citizens first remains to be seen — but judging by Keller’s gloating, their loyalty lies not with the American people, but with lawlessness.

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Hundreds of criminal aliens arrested after storming military borderlands in NM

27 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

 In a powerful reinforcement of President Trump’s no-nonsense border security policies, federal authorities have arrested another 209 criminal aliens who illegally crossed into the United States through a newly established restricted military zone in southern New Mexico. These individuals, instead of simply facing illegal entry charges, are now subject to enhanced legal consequences under Trump-era regulations, specifically for trespassing on a designated military defense area.

The arrests occurred last week along the U.S.-Mexico border, where the U.S. Department of the Interior transferred over 109,000 acres of federal land to the U.S. Army, including a crucial 60-foot-wide corridor in Doña Ana, Luna, and Hidalgo counties. This transfer enabled the Secretary of the Army to formally declare the territory the New Mexico National Defense Area, securing it against illegal infiltration.

Soldiers assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border conduct nighttime operations in an Army Stryker at the southern border near Deming, N.M., May 3, 2025. Credit: Army Spc. Michael Graff.

This national defense designation, initiated during the Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on border violations, means criminal aliens crossing into this region can now face two additional misdemeanor charges: violating a security regulation and unauthorized entry onto military property. Each charge carries up to 18 months of incarceration on top of the standard immigration offenses.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Mexico strongly defended the charges. “Most aliens who enter the District of New Mexico from Mexico through an area that is not a designated port of entry… and thereby enter the (restricted military area) without authorization — are not ‘engaged in apparently innocent conduct,’” federal prosecutors wrote in a May 5 filing.

Assistant federal public defender Amanda Skinner criticized the new charges, claiming in a court brief that they were “unsupported by probable cause” and “an attempt to strike a foul blow against undocumented immigrants.” But Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Gregory Wormuth rejected her motion to dismiss the charges, moving the cases forward.

The federal government is clear: intent and signage visibility are not required to prosecute. In its filings, the government stated, “If an illegal alien enters the U.S. from Mexico without going through a designated port of entry and knows that such conduct is unlawful, then he or she has violated the military regulation.” This includes those who may not have physically seen warning signs or known they were crossing into military-controlled land.

Currently, approximately 199 warning signs have been posted along the 180-mile stretch of borderland designated as restricted, with the government working to install more. Officials note that the rough, desert terrain makes placing signage difficult, but maintain that placement has been “conspicuous and appropriate.”

An affidavit from a public defender investigator noted that signs were spaced every 200 to 300 feet and sometimes stood more than 60 feet from the wall. Still, the government’s position remains firm: illegal entry is illegal, regardless of how clearly marked the area may seem to the intruder.

As cases pile up—roughly 300 recent charges now include the military trespassing offense—President Trump’s legacy of tough border enforcement continues to pay dividends. While critics cry foul over the harsh consequences, the administration’s policy leaves no ambiguity: the sovereignty of the United States will be protected, and the use of federal lands to bolster national security is both lawful and necessary.

In an age of rampant border lawlessness under previous administrations, this strategic militarization of high-traffic border areas is a potent reminder that American borders must be enforced—and that under strong leadership, they will be.

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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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Vasquez once again sides with criminal aliens in latest move

34 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), a far-leftist in Congress, is once again attacking commonsense border protections—this time railing against President Donald Trump’s directive to establish a military buffer zone along the U.S.-Mexico border from California through New Mexico.

In a statement issued Monday, Vasquez called the strategic deployment of military assets to secure the Roosevelt Reservation—a federally controlled strip of land 60 feet wide running the length of the border from California to New Mexico—“misguided and wasteful,” dismissing the President’s action as a “made-for-TV stunt.” His full-throated opposition comes even as his own district, located in New Mexico’s Second Congressional District, includes numerous border communities grappling daily with illegal crossings, drug smuggling, and human trafficking.

Despite these serious threats, Vasquez continues to undermine efforts to restore control at the border. He bizarrely claimed that Trump’s move comes “during a record time of low crossing numbers” — thanks to the President’s actions to protect the homeland, unlike his predecessor, Joe Biden.

Vasquez’s hostility toward border security is nothing new. He has consistently taken fringe positions aligned with open-borders activists. On his official Twitter account, Vasquez denounced the border wall as “racist” and called for it to be “torn down,” declaring: “Let’s tear it down. The wall is not only ineffective and costly—it is a symbol of hate. It’s time for a new approach rooted in compassion and real solutions.”

In the same post, Vasquez accused border enforcement infrastructure of being “a symbol of hate,” further cementing his record of prioritizing inflammatory rhetoric over practical solutions. This is despite overwhelming evidence that fencing, surveillance, and manpower are key deterrents to illegal border crossings and criminal enterprise along the U.S.-Mexico corridor.

The far-left congressman also has repeatedly voted against banning criminal aliens from voting in U.S. elections — further cementing his push to promote illegal immigration into the country. 

Vasquez’s open-borders language and continued embrace of policies that weaken U.S. sovereignty paint a troubling picture. At a time when border communities are overwhelmed, and national security threats loom large, Vasquez appears more concerned with political theater and virtue signaling than with protecting his own constituents. His repeated rejection of efforts to strengthen America’s borders not only puts New Mexicans at risk—it betrays the very oath he took as a member of Congress.

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