SHOCKING BETRAYAL: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION EXPOSES JUDGE WHO HARBORED VENEZUELAN GANGSTER IN FAMILY HOME
Las Cruces, NM — April 25, 2025
In a scene that has sent shockwaves across the nation, federal agents on Thursday raided the Las Cruces home of former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano, arresting him and his wife, Nancy Cano, in a high-stakes takedown that exposes the shocking rot within America’s judicial corridors.
The Canos were taken into custody after an explosive federal investigation revealed they allegedly harbored an illegal alien and known associate of Venezuela’s most feared criminal cartel — the Tren de Aragua — right inside their suburban New Mexico home.
That individual, Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, had been living in the Cano family’s guesthouse, dining with the family, and posing for Christmas photos — while allegedly orchestrating criminal activity and posing with weapons connected to their daughter, April Cano.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION STRIKES BACK: “WE WILL HUNT YOU DOWN”
In a blistering statement from the White House, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised the operation:
“Under President Trump, we have arrested over 150,000 aliens—including more than 600 members of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang. If you are here illegally and break the law, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and lock you up. That’s a promise.”
With Ortega-Lopez now in federal custody and facing 15 years in prison for illegal firearm possession, the Trump administration is being lauded for its unrelenting crackdown on cross-border criminal networks and the corrupt enablers hiding within America’s own institutions.
THE GANGSTER NEXT DOOR: HOW A JUDGE LET AMERICA’S ENEMY INSIDE
Court documents paint a chilling portrait. Ortega-Lopez, who illegally crossed the border near Eagle Pass, Texas, in December 2023, was initially hired by Nancy Cano for “home repairs”—but was soon given permanent shelter and access to the family’s private residence.
The home became a safe haven for a member of Tren de Aragua, a gang infamous for extortion, kidnapping, and narco-terrorism. Photos submitted in court filings depict Ortega-Lopez celebrating Christmas with the Cano family, and social media posts show him brandishing firearms, one of which he claimed belonged to their daughter.
This revelation prompted swift action from the New Mexico Supreme Court, which on Tuesday permanently barred Judge Joel Cano from ever holding judicial office again. His resignation in March now appears to have been a desperate attempt to escape the coming storm.
REPUBLICANS SLAM “JUDICIAL DOUBLE STANDARD”
“The people of New Mexico are tired of a system where the powerful don’t play by their own rules,” said Amy Barela, Chairwoman of the Republican Party of New Mexico. “We demand full accountability and complete transparency. Enough is enough.”
Former ICE Field Office Director John Fabbricatore echoed those concerns:
“To see that a judge would allow this to happen? It’s terrifying. What else has he been doing behind closed doors?”
AMERICA’S BORDER WAR: TRUMP’S CRACKDOWN WIDENS
This latest high-profile arrest adds fuel to the Trump administration’s border enforcement legacy, with many heralding it as proof that illegal immigration is not just a border issue—it’s a national security crisis.
By directly linking a sitting judge and his family to a transnational criminal syndicate, the case reinforces what Trump and his allies have warned about for years:
The enemy is no longer at the gate—they’ve been invited inside.
THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR: NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW
As investigators dig deeper into the Cano family’s involvement, the DHS vows that no title, robe, or privilege will shield anyone who enables criminal aliens or compromises the safety of the American people.
In the words of Secretary Noem:
“This is the America First administration. If you’re on the side of the criminals—we will find you. And we will not stop.”
