Former Coldwater Mayor Joe Ceballos has been ordered to report to a Wichita office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to his attorneys, raising the possibility of detention and deportation after he pleaded guilty last month to misdemeanor election-related charges.
Ceballos, a legal permanent resident originally from Mexico, pleaded guilty in April to three misdemeanor counts of disorderly election conduct as part of a plea agreement that reduced more serious felony allegations tied to illegally voting in several elections.
His attorney, Jess Hoeme, said Ceballos was instructed to report to the ICE office in Wichita on Wednesday morning. Hoeme criticized the move, saying he was “thoroughly frustrated and pissed off” over the decision.
Ceballos has said he believed he was legally allowed to vote because he held a green card and had been a permanent U.S. resident for decades. He moved to the United States from Mexico as a child and has lived in southwest Kansas since the 1980s.
Under the plea agreement reached in Comanche County, Ceballos avoided jail time and instead received probation and a $2,000 fine. However, immigration consequences remained a possibility despite the reduced charges.
According to reports, Ceballos’ immigration attorney, Sarah Balderas, said ICE officials hand-delivered the notice to appear and gave little advance warning. She said detention could lead to deportation proceedings.
The case drew national attention after Kris Kobach announced charges against Ceballos last year, calling the case evidence of noncitizen voting enforcement efforts in Kansas.
