Former Kansas mayor detained by ICE after pleading guilty to voting as noncitizen
May 15, 2026·Location: Wichita, KS
Country of origin: Mexico

Joe Ceballos, 55, a lawful permanent resident and twice-elected former mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, who immigrated from Mexico at age four, was detained by ICE on May 13-14, 2026, after pleading guilty in April 2026 to three misdemeanor counts of disorderly election conduct for voting without U.S. citizenship. Ceballos stated he mistakenly believed his permanent residency status allowed him to vote. He voted in elections in 2022, 2023, and 2024, and disclosed his voting history voluntarily during a naturalization interview. Under his plea deal, he received one year probation with a suspended six-month jail sentence, a $2,000 fine, and court fees. ICE subsequently initiated removal proceedings, citing voting as a removable offense, and took Ceballos into custody at its detention facility in Wichita, where he now faces potential deportation to Mexico.
Timeline
Sources
- ICE begins deportation process for former Kansas mayor who committed election crimes
Yahoo News·May 12, 2026·archived copy
- Former western Kansas mayor ordered to report to ICE detention facility due to voting issue
www2.ljworld.com·May 12, 2026·archived copy
- Former Kansas Republican Mayor Ordered to ICE Detention - This is Topeka
thisistopeka.com·May 13, 2026·archived copy
- Former Kansas mayor who voted as a noncitizen now ordered to ICE detention
KRPS·May 12, 2026·archived copy
- Former Kansas mayor who was elected and voted as noncitizen reaches plea deal; hopes to avoid deportation
www2.ljworld.com·Apr 20, 2026·archived copy
- kansascity.com
- ICE detains former Kansas mayor who fears deportation over voting controversy
hayspost.com·05-14-2026 12:00:00 AM·archived copy
salinapost.com·05-14-2026 12:00:00 AM·archived copy
- Immigration authorities detain former Kansas mayor who voted illegally
Houston Chronicle·May 13, 2026·archived copy
- A former Kansas mayor who voted as a noncitizen is now in federal immigration detention - This is Topeka
thisistopeka.com·May 14, 2026·archived copy
- lavocedinewyork.com
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