The newly-re-elected mayor of Coldwater, Kansas is facing possible prison and/or deportation after allegedly voting illegally, as a non-citizen.

Free article: The Mexican-born mayor of Coldwater was accused of voting illegally as a noncitizen. Many of his neighbors want state and federal officials to back off.

Of course, voting as a non-citizen is illegal. Even though it almost never happens, it’s not allowed, which is why when people register to vote their information is validated against government sources to ensure they’re legally eligible. Very rarely, someone slips through the cracks, intentionally or not. After all, if you feel like an American, you feel like you should be able to cast your ballot in elections that affect you.

In this case it’s a Republican politician accused of voter fraud in a Republican town in a Republican state. And it’s his fellow Republican voters who believe he should be forgiven.

Because when Republican voters see the reality of life under Republican policies (in this case, deporting a pillar of the community for what’s likely a mistake), they don’t like it.