Democratic judge who harbored alleged TdA member in his home disbarred

Jose "Joel" Cano, a former New Mexico judge who resigned last month after an alleged member of the Tren de Aragua was arrested at his home, has been disbarred and will not be able to return to hold office in a state court.

The New Mexico Supreme Court ordered that Cano "may never again hold judicial office or be a candidate for judicial office." The former judge will also be barred from exercising any judicial authority in the state, something that prevents him from even officiating weddings, a spokesman for the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) told the media.

The disciplinary action, issued by the New Mexico Supreme Court, comes ahead of disciplinary hearings scheduled for this Thursday, April 24.

The New Mexico Democrat served on the Doña Ana County Magistrate Court in Las Cruces. Although his resignation letter is dated March 3 and was published by several media outlets days ago, an AOC spokesperson said the Supreme Court and the Third Judicial District Court didn’t receive it until March 31.

All of that occurred after Department of Homeland Security agents arrested an undocumented immigrant with alleged ties to Tren de Aragua—one of the most violent gangs of Venezuelan origin—at Cano's home.

Arrest, flight risk, weapons and photos of decapitated bodies

The detainee, identified as Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a 23-year-old Venezuelan national, was arrested after a hearing in which the prosecution argued that he was a high flight risk.

Ortega-López allegedly entered the U.S. illegally through Eagle Pass, Texas, in December 2023, during a period of heavy congestion in immigration detention centers. A few days later, he was released on parole due to overcrowding.

According to statements in the case, Ortega-Lopez met the judge's wife, Nancy Cano, and began performing various jobs for her until she offered him her "casita" in the back of the home.

Agents "seized four firearms from the residence," according to court documents, and also allegedly found photos of decapitated and mutilated bodies on Ortega-Lopez's phone.

Joel Cano was seen in multiple photographs and videos with the alleged gang member, including one where the Venezuelan man handed him a gun. Investigators also found images on social media of Ortega-López having dinner with the former judge's family and posing for Christmas photos in 2024.