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67-year-old De Soto man known for feeding stray cats deported after signing unclear papers

Sep 28, 2026·Location: De Soto, KS

Country of origin: Mexico

67-year-old De Soto man known for feeding stray cats deported after signing unclear papers
Photo via kansascity.com

Ubaldo Marquez Calderon, 67, was a longtime De Soto, Kansas resident known for biking around town collecting aluminum cans and feeding stray cats at a trailer park every morning. ICE detained him on September 13 at a Casey's gas station near the local high school and held him at the CoreCivic-run Midwest Regional Reception Center in Leavenworth. His attorney, Chad Sublet, said Calderon signed a voluntary departure document he did not understand, and while detained he developed a urinary tract infection after being denied water. After more than 20 years living in the U.S. with no criminal record, Calderon was removed to Mexico, arriving around September 28. De Soto community members paid for his flight to Jalisco, and neighbors described him as a 'staple in the community,' saying the town feels 'pretty broken' without him.

Timeline

Sep 28, 2026—Removed to Mexico after signing a voluntary departure document he reportedly did not understand
Sep 13, 2026—Detained by ICE at a Casey's gas station near De Soto High School and taken to the Midwest Regional Reception Center in Leavenworth
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