U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained the superintendent of the Des Moines Public Schools system. The agency said he’s been living and working without proper authorization.
Superintendent detained
Immigration officials said Dr. Ian Roberts had received a deportation order from a court in May 2024.
Download the Straight Arrow app today to get the stories that matter free from manipulation, bias or agenda.™
Point phone camera here
They said Roberts, who was born in Guyana, entered the U.S. on a student visa in 1999 and had no work authorization.
Officials said he faced a weapon possession charge from 2020 but provided no further details.
In a release, ICE said they approached Roberts in his car after identifying himself, but he then sped away. His car was found a short time later abandoned near a wooded area.
They said officers located him and at the time of his arrest, he had a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash and a hunting knife.
“This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats,” Sam Olson, ICE ERO St. Paul Field Office Director, said in a statement. “How this illegal alien was hired without work authorization, a final order of removal, and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district.”
People without legal status in the U.S. cannot legally obtain a firearm. ICE is turning that investigation over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Who is Dr. Ian Roberts?
Roberts had led the school district since 2023 and previously spent time as educator in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
He reportedly spent most of his formative years in Brooklyn before graduating from Coppin State University in Baltimore. He then received a master’s degree from St. John’s University in New York.
Before going into education, Roberts was a world class athlete.
He competed in track and field representing Guyana at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and at several World Championship events.
School district reaction
Associate Superintendent Matt Smith will take over the role until further notice.
“Our priority is to provide a safe, secure and outstanding education for all students and to support our students, families and employees,” Jackie Norris, Board President, said in a statement. “The appointment of Mr. Smith as Interim Superintendent ensures that our District continues to operate at the highest level.”
Smith had previously served as the interim superintendent before Roberts was hired.
Norris also addressed Roberts’ detainment in her post.
“We have no confirmed information as to why Dr. Roberts is being detained or the next potential steps,” Norris said.
That post racked up more than 1,500 comments and was a mixed bag of support of Roberts and backlash against the school district.
