Attorney General Pam Bondi highlighted two cases in which federal authorities arrested two judges for allegedly trying to shield illegal immigrants from deportation.
The two cases occurred over the past few days in Wisconsin and New Mexico. During an appearance on Fox News’ “America Reports,” Bondi commented on Judge Joel Cano and his wife’s arrest in New Mexico.
The couple is accused of harboring an illegal immigrant suspected of being a member of the Tren de Aragua street gang in their home.
Cano is facing obstruction charges, Bondi explained. “He took one of the TdA members’ cell phones himself, took it, beat it with a hammer, destroyed it, and then walked the pieces to a city dumpster to dispose of it to protect him.”
His wife is also facing charges for destroying evidence, the attorney general said.
This TdA member … had on a necklace that said ‘kill,’ something about death. He had tattoos all over him. He also had on his cell phone pictures of two decapitated victims, two victims decapitated. Gruesome photos. He was sending them out, and whoever he was sending them to was sending back, say, ‘Hey, you need to be careful. You shouldn’t be sending these. You shouldn’t be texting these photos out.’
Bondi further explained that “the judge and his wife gave him assault rifles that belonged to their daughter” and that the illegal immigrant “goes to a shooting range with these assault rifles, with a suppressor, with other known TdA members in their shooting.”
Federal authorities arrested the couple on Thursday for harboring Christhian Ortega-Lopez, a Venezuelan national who had previously faced deportation.
Federal law enforcement found out about Ortega-Lopez’s location after receiving anonymous tips and social media posts showing him posing with firearms. He is currently being held at the Doña Ana County Detention Center and facing federal charges for immigration violations and illegal firearm possession.
In Wisconsin, federal authorities arrested Judge Hannah Dugan for allegedly concealing an illegal immigrant accused of domestic battery and other crimes in the courthouse.
“This guy was in court being prosecuted by a state prosecutor for domestic violence battery,” Bondi said. “He had beat up two people, a guy and a girl, hit the guy 30 times, knocked him to the ground, choked him, beat up a woman so badly, they both had to go to the hospital.”
The migrant, named Eduardo Flores Ruiz, was arrested after his victims informed law enforcement of his actions, Bondi said.
They were sitting in the courtroom with the state prosecutor. The judge learns that ICE was outside to get the guy because he had been deported in 2013, came back in our country, commits these crimes, charged with committing these crimes, victims in court. Judge finds out, she goes out in the hallway, screams at the immigration officer. She’s furious, visibly shaken, upset, sends them off to talk to the chief judge. She comes back in the courtroom, you’re not going to believe this, takes the defendant and the defense attorney back in her chambers, takes them out of a private exit and tells them to leave. While a state prosecutor and victims of domestic violence are sitting in the courtroom.
FBI Director Kash Patel released a statement saying, “We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject – an illegal alien – to evade arrest.”
Despite the risks involved, it won’t be surprising to see more of these cases pop up as President Donald Trump pursues his mission to remove dangerous illegal immigrants from the country.
