Politics
Democrat Judge Resigns After ICE Arrests Venezuelan Gang Member In His Home
A Democrat judge in New Mexico resigned from his position last month after agents with U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested an alleged Tren de Aragua gang member who was living in the judge’s home.
The arrested illegal alien entered the country by way of Eagle Pass, Texas before being released on immigration parole due to overcrowding. The Trump Administration has effectively halted the previous administration’s “catch and release” policy, under which migrants and asylum seekers were given court dates before being transported to the U.S. interior.
Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, 23, eventually made his way to New Mexico after his release.
Federal prosecutors in the District of New Mexico allege that Ortega-Lopez was illegally in possession of a firearm and has ties to the ultra-violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
The gang — which rapidly expanded its presence in the United States during the Biden presidency — has been designated as a terrorist organization by the Trump Administration due to its extensive role in drug and human trafficking. The gang’s criminal activities are bolstered by documented support from Venzezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro’s regime.
Police arrested Ortega-Lopez while executing a search warrant on February 28 at the home of Dona Ana County, New Mexico, Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy, according to a report from Breitbart News. At a detention hearing, prosecutors previously argued that the illegal alien is a flight risk and is an alleged Tren de Aragua gang member.
Cano, who served as a police officer before his time on the bench, allowed Ortega-Lopez to file a request for immigration relief using the judge’s address. Court documents also contained images showing the suspected gang member posing for photos with the judge.
Judge Cano poses with a long rifle in a video posted to a social media page belonging to Ortega-Garcia
Additional social media posts obtained by federal prosecutors showed Ortega-Lopez and additional illegal aliens spending time at a shooting range. The men appeared to be in possession of multiple firearms and a sizable quantity of ammunition.
In one image, the illegal alien can be seen holding an AR-15-style rifle in one hand and a semiautomatic handgun in the other. An additional video shows the Venezuelan national firing another AR-15 with a suppressor, prosecutors allege. He proceeded to fire the rifle until it was empty before quickly replacing it with another magazine and continuing to fire.
Prosecutors further recovered a number of additional firearms in a neighboring home owned by Nancy Cano’s daughter. Ortega-Lopez was seen in possession of several of these firearms.
The photos and videos also showed Ortega-Lopez displaying Tren de Aragua gang tattoos. Additional photos showed decapitated and mutilated bodies, prosecutors allege.
After entering the United States through Eagle Pass in 2023, Ortega-Lopez briefly lived in El Paso after being released from immigration custody. While living there, he became acquainted with Nancy Cano and started to work handyman jobs. The judge’s daughter later extended an offer to live in a small property behind her home in New Mexico.
Ortega-Lopez is currently in the Dona Ana County Detention Center, where he is charged with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms. It is unclear whether Judge Cano or his wife will be facing any charges for harboring an illegal alien suspected to be a member of a violent terrorist organization.
