Former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose “Joel” Cano submitted a 23-page letter to the New Mexico Supreme Court prior to being arrested for evidence tampering and housing three alleged members of Tren de Aragua (TdA), a foreign terrorist organization.
Border Hawk has obtained a copy of the letter, submitted on March 21, 2025, in which Cano notified the court he had resigned weeks prior while slamming allegations against him as “sensationalism at the highest possible level.”
More information is now known about the circumstances surrounding the judge’s arrest, but some of his claims in the letter are still shocking. His narrative provides a glimpse of how broken our immigration system was during the prior administration and demonstrates the lengths to which some individuals will go to harbor and assist non-citizens.
The Venezuelans came to live with the judge and his wife, Nancy, in a detached “casita” on the Cano property in April of 2024.
The Canos developed a deep affinity for the men – whom they nicknamed “the boys” – providing them with three meals daily while not charging them a dime.
All three crossed the southern border illegally in late 2023 and were released in the El Paso area.
The Venezuelans told the Canos that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recommended they head to the sanctuary city of Denver as more assistance would be available to them there – and even gave them a lift to Colorado.
The men eventually returned to El Paso and started working odd jobs, which is how they met the Canos.
Cano detailed extensive processing and ‘vetting’ performed by ICE at several different times and locations, during which no red flags about the men’s gang affiliations were apparently raised.
The judge described in great detail the federal raid that occurred at his home when the Venezuelans were arrested in late February. He vehemently denied having any knowledge that the men were associated with TdA.
He asked in his letter if ICE knew they were TdA members, and if so, why the agency transported them to and from Denver.
Judge Cano addressed the now-infamous “range day” photos which depicted Ortega-Lopez holding two different types of firearms. Cano said he went only as a spectator, and did not feel he should tell the Venezuelan whether or not he could handle firearms or ammunition – despite it potentially being a federal crime.
Cano reiterated that he had no knowledge the men were possibly affiliated with TdA, and stated that he never felt threatened or endangered by them.
“I cannot help but feel that the capture of these boys is just another unfortunate addition to the current nationwide effort to apprehend, detain and deport anyone not born in the U.S. Moreover, why not add a little more to the capture and expense of the operation by claiming that the boys were also Tren de Aragua gang members,” Cano argued.
“Some one new is in charge of this nation, and he has plenty of loyalists that will do anything to please.”
Cano continued attacking the Trump administration, saying, “Most of us are exposed daily and almost hourly to the new and ever changing policies and directives of this new U.S. President. The new President is constantly expressing that ‘we need to find them all, and get them the hell out of here’ of course he’s referring to all migrants, regardless of their country of origin.”
“It is not just Venezuelans, its pro-Palestine and anti-Trump vocalists too. Heck, in reality, it is anyone this new administration focuses on for removal out of the US. If you do not support this new administration and choose to speak about it in the town square, you have just issued yourself a ticket out of this country.“
If Cano’s claims about the immigration process are true, then the system was truly broken for quite some time. Not only was Border Patrol overrun for years on end, but ICE was poorly equipped to carry out its functions.
We do not know the specific motives of the three men, but it is fairly obvious that they trekked across the Darien Gap and Central America for the same reasons as millions just like them: to enjoy a more prosperous life in the United States.
Apprehended by Border Patrol, processed and given a Notice to Appear in the distant future, released into the interior with little supervision, and managing to find work without a visa is a story we heard time and again during the prior administration.
How many more gang members and hardened criminals were released into our nation by the Biden administration? It’s a troubling question which deserves answers.