DOÑA ANA COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with Cano’s response to the New Mexico Supreme Court in March.
The New Mexico Supreme Court has permanently barred a former Doña Ana County magistrate judge from ever serving on the bench. The justices ruled that Joel Cano’s conduct was unbefitting of a judge after Cano resigned last month when the Department of Homeland Security arrested alleged Venezuelan gang member Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, who was living on his property. Ortega-Lopez has been in the country illegally since 2023 and was caught after social media posts surfaced showing him in possession of firearms.
In a response to the court, Cano denied having any knowledge of Ortega-Lopez’s affiliation with the Tran De Aragua transitional criminal organization. Cano has not been charged with a crime. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham will appoint a new judge to serve out his term through 2026.
Cano’s response to the New Mexico Supreme Court in March was unsealed on Wednesday. It can be read here:
