Small-town Kansas mayor resigns, facing deportation for voting as a non-citizen
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- Joe Ceballos esigned amid felony voting charges and possible deportation.
- DHS says Ceballos will face removal proceedings after applying for citizenship in 2025.
- City council installed interim leader and vows to maintain services and stability.
The small-town Kansas mayor who is facing felony charges and possible deportation for allegedly voting as a non-U.S. citizen has resigned his position.
“The City of Coldwater has received the resignation of Mayor Joe Ceballos, effective immediately. The City Council has accepted the resignation,” the city posted to its Facebook page Monday evening.
Ceballos, 54, won re-election on Nov. 4, a day before Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Secretary of State Scott Schwab held a press conference announcing that Ceballos would face charges of election perjury and voting without being qualified.
In his first interview since the arrest, Ceballos told the Kansas Leadership Center Journal that he mistakenly thought that as a legal permanent resident of the U.S., he could vote. Like many voters in rural Comanche County on the Oklahoma border, Ceballos said he “always voted for all the Republicans.”
Ceballos, who was granted a green card in 1990, applied for U.S. citizenship in February 2025, according to a Department of Homeland Security press release.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in the release that Ceballos “will be placed in removal proceedings” and face deportation to Mexico if convicted.
“I haven’t seen Mexico since I was four,” Ceballos told the Journal. “I don’t speak Spanish anymore. If I get deported, it would wreck my life.”
He began his public service working in the city’s public utilities department. He served two four-year terms on the City Concil before first being elected mayor in 2021.
Ceballos’ arrest has roiled the tiny town of fewer than 700 residents, thrusting Coldwater into the national spotlight as debate over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown intensifies.
Ceballos could not be reached for comment Tuesday, and his attorney did not immediately return a phone call.
State Rep. Kyle Hoffman, a Coldwater Republican, told The Star last month that he doesn’t believe Ceballos should be deported.
“I feel for Joe and the community, and I hope it can get worked out in the legal system,” Hoffman said.
Coldwater City Council President Britt Lenertz confirmed that she was sworn in Monday evening to serve out the remainder of Ceballos’s first term as mayor. In January, the council will choose a new president who will also serve as mayor for the next four years, she said.
Lenertz, who previously described Ceballos to The Star as “very dedicated” to his job and “an outstanding member of our community,” said Tuesday that she’s been advised against commenting further on her predecessor’s legal situation.
“We will continue with the daily work of the city, ensuring that all services and operations move forward without interruption,” Coldwater said in its Facebook post. “Our priority is keeping the community informed and maintaining stability during this transition.”
This story was originally published December 9, 2025 at 5:50 PM.
