Former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy, were arrested after federal agents raided their Las Cruces home, facing charges of evidence tampering related to harboring Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an alleged illegal alien with ties to the Tren de Aragua gang. Ortega-Lopez, who unlawfully entered the U.S., was previously employed by Nancy Cano for home repairs and later offered accommodation at their residence. Following the arrests, Judge Cano resigned and was permanently barred from judicial office by the New Mexico Supreme Court amid public demands for accountability in local governance.
