The superintendent of Des Moines Public Faculties was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers on Friday, in line with the college district.
ICE mentioned Ian Roberts was within the nation illegally from Guyana and was working as a superintendent regardless of having “a remaining order of removing and no work authorization.”
Ian Roberts in a photograph dated, Feb. 26, 2025, launched by ICE.
ICE
When officers conducting a “focused enforcement operation” tried to method Roberts in his automobile on Friday, the superintendent sped away, and the officers later discovered his automobile deserted, ICE mentioned.
Police helped discover Roberts, and when he was taken into custody, the superintendent was in possession of a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade looking knife and $3,000 in money, ICE mentioned.
A photograph of what ICE reported as a loaded handgun present in Ian Robert’s car, Sept. 26, 2025.
ICE
A photograph launched by ICE of Ian Roberts dated February 2020.
ICE
Roberts got here to the U.S. on a scholar visa in 1999 and a decide gave him a “remaining order of removing” in Could 2024, ICE mentioned in an announcement. Roberts has weapon possession expenses from February 2020, the company mentioned.
Faculty district officers mentioned in an announcement they did not have info on “subsequent potential steps” for Roberts.
Des Moines Faculty District superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts waves to the group as passing by way of Grand Avenue in the course of the Iowa State Honest Parade, Aug.t 9, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa.
Nirmalendu Majumdar/The Des Moines Register/USA TODAY NETWORK
Roberts joined the Des Moines district in July 2023 and “held academic management positions in districts throughout the U.S. for 20 years,” college board chair Jackie Norris mentioned at a information convention Friday.
“There may be new info that has been made public that we didn’t know, and haven’t been capable of confirm as as to whether that info is correct,” she mentioned.
“There may be a lot we have no idea,” she mentioned. “Nevertheless, what we do know is that Dr. Roberts has been an integral a part of our faculty group since he joined over two years in the past. Throughout his time with our district, he has proven up in methods massive and small, and has advocated for college kids and workers and begun introducing ideas that may assist us reimagine schooling for future generations of Des Moines college students.”
