The former Kansas mayor who voted as a non-citizen has been taken into custody by federal immigration authorities. Joe Ceballos, the ex-mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, surrendered to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Wichita on Wednesday, fulfilling an order issued earlier this week.
The 55-year-old green card holder had pleaded guilty last month to illegally voting in several elections while serving as the town's mayor. Ceballos resigned from his position in December after the charges were filed, ending a political career that saw him win two terms in the small conservative community of Coldwater.
Born in Mexico and brought to the United States at age four, Ceballos has been a legal permanent resident since 1990 as reported by LMT online. He worked as a utility lineman and raised a family in Coldwater, a town of fewer than 700 people near the Oklahoma border. The Kansas City Star details that he was first elected in 2021, and was re-elected last November with 83 per cent of the vote – the same day he was charged with six felonies related to voting as a non-citizen.
Prosecutors later reduced the charges in a plea agreement. In April, Ceballos pleaded guilty to three misdemeanour counts in Comanche County District Court. He received a sentence of a $2,000 (£1,474) fine and one year of probation, with no jail time.
Ceballos has repeatedly said the infractions were an honest mistake, insisting he did not realise green card holders were ineligible to vote. He had always cast ballots for Republican candidates, including in the most recent presidential election, and when asked if he regrettedvoting for President Donald Trumphe said no. His lawyer said he was pursuing citizenship when the matter emerged during an interview.
Ceballos arrived at the ICE office building in Wichita as reported by KCUR on Wednesday morning and turned himself in. 'I'm obviously nervous,' he told reporters from the parking lot before entering the facility.
His attorney, Jess Hoeme, confirmed the surrender and expressed concern that the former mayor could now be subject to deportation. Efforts by the legal team to contact Kansas senators Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran for assistance have so far gone unanswered.
The detention comes as part of wider federal immigration enforcement initiatives. As of Friday, Ceballos is listed in custody at the Wichita detention centre.
Despite the legal issues, Ceballos remained popular in Coldwater. Supporters applauded loudly in court when the judgeaccepted the plea agreement, a reaction the magistrate called the appropriate response to justice.
The case has drawn national interest, illustrating the complexities of citizenship rules for long-term residents who mistakenly engage in voting. Local residents expressed support, with many emphasising his contributions to the town over the years and his integration into the community since childhood. A reelon Instagramcaptured Ceballos's arrival and brief comments outside theICE facility.
Source: International Business Times UK
