Former Judge Caught Harboring Gang Members, FBI Warns of Venezuelan Government’s Role

The arrest of former New Mexico magistrate judge Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy Cano, for allegedly harboring members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua has sent shockwaves through the nation. This case, combined with other disturbing incidents involving government officials shielding dangerous gang members, raises serious questions about the motives of certain leftist figures. Are these acts driven by naivety, or do they reflect a deliberate agenda to undermine public safety? A recent FBI assessment that Venezuela is facilitating the migration of Tren de Aragua members to destabilize the U.S. only heightens the urgency of confronting this pattern of complicity.

The Cano Case: A Betrayal of Judicial Duty

On April 24, 2025, Joel Cano, who resigned as a Doña Ana County magistrate judge on March 31, and his wife, Nancy, were arrested following a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) raid on their Las Cruces home. The couple had rented property to Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an alleged Tren de Aragua member who illegally entered the U.S. in 2023. According to court documents, Nancy Cano encouraged the arrangement after Ortega-Lopez was hired for household work. Shockingly, firearms belonging to Cano’s daughter were found in the home, with Ortega-Lopez reportedly allowed to handle, shoot, and pose with them in photos shared online. Federal authorities seized the weapons and arrested Ortega-Lopez in February 2025. Three other individuals at the property, also suspected Tren de Aragua members, are in custody.

Joel Cano faces charges of tampering with evidence, while Nancy Cano is charged with conspiracy to tamper. It remains unclear whether the Canos knew of their tenants’ gang affiliations, but the incident represents a staggering lapse for a former judge sworn to uphold the law. This case is not an isolated one—it fits into a broader, troubling pattern of government officials enabling dangerous criminals, often under the guise of compassion.

Other Officials Implicated in Harboring or Enabling Gang Activity

The Cano case is not the only instance of government officials allegedly protecting gang members. Recent investigations have uncovered other alarming examples:

Honduran Law Enforcement Officials (2020): In a U.S.-assisted operation called Operation Regional Shield, announced on November 27, 2020, authorities arrested 36 individuals in El Salvador and Honduras involved in human smuggling networks linked to MS-13 and 18th Street gangs. Among those arrested in Honduras were a police commissioner, a police deputy inspector, and three law enforcement agents, all charged with human smuggling, money laundering, and illegal association. These officials allegedly facilitated the movement of gang members across borders, exploiting their authority to shield transnational criminal networks.

El Salvador’s Alleged Collusion with MS-13 (2020): A 2020 U.S. Justice Department indictment revealed that top Salvadoran officials, under President Nayib Bukele’s administration, secretly negotiated with MS-13 leaders. In exchange for financial incentives, lighter sentences, and prison privileges like access to mobile phones and sex workers, MS-13 agreed to reduce recorded murders and support Bukele’s party in elections. This collusion allowed gang members to operate with impunity, undermining public safety while officials manipulated crime statistics.

U.S. Local Officials and Sanctuary Policies: While not direct harboring, leftist officials in U.S. cities have been criticized for policies that effectively shield gang members from federal authorities. In 2018, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, a Democrat, publicly warned of impending ICE raids, potentially allowing criminals, including gang members, to evade arrest. Similarly, in 2017, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel reaffirmed the city’s sanctuary status, even as reports highlighted gang-related violence involving undocumented immigrants. In 2019, San Francisco’s sanctuary policies came under scrutiny when an illegal immigrant with a criminal history, released despite ICE detainers, committed a murder. These actions, often framed as protecting vulnerable communities, risk enabling groups like Tren de Aragua to exploit legal loopholes.

FBI Warning: Venezuela’s Weaponization of Tren de Aragua

The Cano arrests coincide with a chilling FBI assessment, reported by Fox News on April 23, 2025, that the Venezuelan government under Nicolás Maduro is deliberately facilitating the migration of Tren de Aragua members to the U.S. The FBI warns that these gang members may be used as proxies to target Venezuelan diaspora critics, with plans to threaten, abduct, or kill them within the next six to 18 months. This state-sponsored strategy aims to undermine U.S. public safety, making cases like the Canos’—whether intentional or negligent—particularly dangerous. Tren de Aragua, designated a terrorist organization by President Donald Trump, is linked to racketeering, narcotics trafficking, and brutal crimes like human smuggling and murder.

A Disturbing Pattern: Ideology Over Safety?

These incidents point to a broader pattern where leftist officials, whether through direct actions or permissive policies, enable dangerous criminals. The harboring of gang members by a former judge like Cano, the complicity of Honduran law enforcement, and the collusion of Salvadoran officials with MS-13 suggest a troubling willingness to prioritize ideology over public safety. In the U.S., sanctuary city policies championed by Democrats like Schaaf and Emanuel have repeatedly been criticized for shielding violent offenders. For example, in 2020, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva faced backlash for limiting ICE cooperation, even as gang-related crime surged.

What drives these actions? Are these officials genuinely blind to the risks posed by groups like Tren de Aragua and MS-13, or is there a calculated effort to destabilize communities while hiding behind humanitarian rhetoric? The FBI’s warning about Venezuela’s deliberate export of gang members suggests that such leniency plays directly into the hands of hostile regimes. When trusted figures like judges and law enforcement officers shield criminals, it erodes public trust and fuels suspicion about their true motives.

Recent Developments: Tren de Aragua’s Escalating Threat

The danger of Tren de Aragua continues to grow. On April 22, 2025, ICE arrested Carlos Jesus Rochard-Perozo, a known Tren de Aragua member, in Springfield, Missouri. Days earlier, on April 12, two men with probable ties to the gang were charged in a horrific kidnapping and torture case in New York, where they used a power drill to terrorize a victim for access to her bank accounts. In another case, 27 alleged Tren de Aragua members were charged in New York with racketeering, narcotics, and firearms offenses, highlighting the gang’s expanding footprint. These incidents underscore the urgency of addressing complicity by officials who enable such threats.

A Demand for Accountability

The arrests of Joel and Nancy Cano, alongside cases involving corrupt Honduran and Salvadoran officials, expose a dangerous pattern of government figures harboring or enabling gang members. Whether through direct actions, like renting property to Tren de Aragua members, or through policies that shield criminals from deportation, these incidents betray the public’s trust. The FBI’s warning of Venezuela’s state-sponsored gang migration demands a reckoning: leftist officials must be held accountable for actions that jeopardize safety. Are they unwitting pawns or active participants in a broader agenda? The public deserves answers, and communities deserve protection from the growing shadow of gangs like Tren de Aragua. Excuses will no longer suffice.

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