A New Mexico judge who resigned was found harboring a person who was in the country illegally in his house, according to court documents.

Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano announced his resignation in March, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The publication acknowledged he was a Democrat and former police officer.

Though his letter did not give a reason for the resignation, it came shortly after Department of Homeland Security agents found Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an alleged Tren de Aragua member, at Cano’s house.

Ortega-Lopez became the subject of a DHS investigation in January after a tipster alleged he had entered the U.S. from Venezuela. There were firearms at his residence, the documents said.

DHS officials discovered Ortega-Lopez had entered the U.S. in December 2023. He was released by Border Patrol officials because of “overcrowding” at his border facility with removal proceedings pending against him.

Ortega-Lopez, according to the documents, began posting images on Facebook that “displayed clear indicators of his association with Tren de Aragua.” The lawsuit went on the describe him as “both a flight risk and a danger.”

DHS agents then executed a search warrant on a house belonging to Cano that they believed Ortega-Lopez was staying in. They found four firearms in violation of immigration law.

Cano’s wife allegedly offered to house Ortega-Lopez after he got a job installing a glass door for her at the house.

“The weight of the evidence is significant,” the lawsuit reads. “Based on the criminal complaint, in addition to posting multiple photos of himself with firearms on his personal social media account, the defendant admitted in a post-Miranda statement to Agents that he knowingly possessed firearms in violation of the law.”

The Trump administration in February designated Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization. President Donald Trump last month invoked the Alien Enemies Act that allows the administration to immediately remove Tren de Aragua members.

Follow Jackson Walker on X at @_jlwalker_ for the latest trending national news. Have a news tip? Send it to jacwalker@sbgtv.com.