Joe Ceballos, former mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, was detained by ICE after pleading guilty to voting illegally. The 55-year-old green card holder, who was born in Mexico and came to the U.S. at age 4, had served as mayor twice and voted in elections without knowing it was illegal. His lawyer confirmed he was detained at a federal office building in Wichita shortly after completing a state sentence of probation.

Ceballos's case drew national attention as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on voter fraud. His community rallied to his defense, packing courtrooms and displaying support signs after he resigned as mayor. Despite being given probation in state court without jail time, the sense of relief proved short-lived when homeland security officials issued another release about his case.

Immigration officials now seek to deport Ceballos, who has received a "call-in letter" to report for processing. His lawyer plans to fight removal, arguing his character, community ties, and decades in the U.S. could weigh in his favor. The case highlights tensions between immigration enforcement and local community support for long-term residents with non-citizen status.