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

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.