The former mayor of a Kansas town who voted in elections despite not having U.S. citizenship is now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Jose Ceballos-Armendariz, also known as Jose or “Joe” Ceballos, in April pleaded guilty to three counts of disorderly election conduct for voting in multiple elections over the years. Ceballos, who also served two terms as the mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, has a green card and is not a U.S. citizen.
Ceballos on Wednesday turned himself in to ICE, KSNW in Wichita reported, telling the news he felt “misled” about the legal process after pleading guilty, thinking it would be over.
BREAKING: I’ve obtained the voter registration of Kansas Mayor Jose Ceballos-Armendariz who’s facing criminal charges for voting in multiple elections despite not being a citizen.
Ceballos signed and swore that he’s a U.S. citizen.
The thing that Democrats say never happens,… pic.twitter.com/7vYXcCC3Mx
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 13, 2025
“Obviously, we’ll go through the process,” Ceballos told KSNW. “We’ll do what they want us to do and, you know, take one day at a time. Just do what they ask is my goal.”
He also told the news station he thought his green card status and legal residency allowed his to vote in elections.
Ceballos came to the U.S. from Mexico with his family when he was four years old, according to his attorney. He’s had a green card since 1990 and in February applied for citizenship, Fox News reported.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Ceballos falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen on voter registration applications.
When Ceballos turned 18, he was encouraged to register to vote while on a school field trip, his lawyer, Jess Hoeme, told KSNW.
“He has not been convicted of any kind of voter fraud. It should not have impacted his immigration status,” Hoeme said. “The Trump administration and ICE have doubled down on nonsense that he is a criminal.”
Ceballos, who has prior conviction for battery, paid a $2,000 fine as part of his plea.
DHS said in April that the federal government’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAFE) program has allowed states to check their voter rolls for non-U.S. citizens.
“This alien has now been convicted of illegally voting in American elections,” DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in April. “The SAVE program is a critical tool for state and local governments to safeguard the integrity of elections across the country. President Trump has been unequivocal: Nothing is more fundamental than the integrity and security of our elections.”
