ICE Detains Ex-Kansas Mayor Joe Ceballos After Illegal Voting Conviction, Threatening Deportation
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 13
ICE Detains Ex-Kansas Mayor Joe Ceballos After Illegal Voting Conviction, Threatening Deportation
10 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 13
Joe Ceballos was taken into ICE custody Wednesday at a federal office building in Wichita, weeks after the former Coldwater, Kansas, mayor was sentenced to probation for voting and holding office as a noncitizen.
A green card holder can face removal after certain criminal convictions, and Ceballos's lawyer said she expects the government to issue a notice to appear in immigration court.
Sarah Balderas said Ceballos plans to fight deportation and seek bond, arguing that his decades in the United States, community ties and personal character could support his case.
The detention undercuts Ceballos's hope that his guilty plea to misdemeanors had put the case behind him and highlights the Trump administration's focus on noncitizen voting cases.
Can strong community ties and decades of U.S. residency save a green card holder from deportation after a conviction?
What does a former mayor's case reveal about the hidden immigration risks of even minor state-level crimes?