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Ian Roberts ICE arrest: Des Moines official's weapons charge resurfaces; ‘was absconding’
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Friday arrested Des Moines Public School Superintendent Ian Roberts, calling him a ‘criminal alien’
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Friday arrested Des Moines Public School Superintendent Ian Roberts, calling him a ‘criminal alien’, and adding that he was in the country illegally and had no work authorization. Roberts is from Guyana in South America, and was considered an ICE fugitive because he was subject to a final removal order issued in 2024, the agency said.
ICE agents detained Roberts after a traffic stop led to his arrest. According to the agency, he fled during the stop in his school-issued vehicle but was later located near a wooded area after abandoning the car. He was taken into custody with a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a fixed-blade hunting knife in his possession.
Officials described Roberts as a “public safety threat” and questioned how he was hired despite lacking work authorization, carrying a final removal order, and having a prior weapons charge.
Roberts’ arrest left the Des Moines community stunned. School board chair Jackie Norris said the district had no knowledge of his immigration status, calling the situation “legally complex.”
“His leadership and compassion for all students, regardless of background, identity, or family origin, are a beacon of light in one of the state’s most diverse school districts,” said the statement by Iowa State Education Association President Joshua Brown and Des Moines Education Association President Anne Cross. “It is a dark and unsettling time in our country. This incident has created tremendous fear for DMPS students, families, and staff.”
Roberts, 54, became superintendent of Des Moines schools in July 2023, overseeing 30,000 students and nearly 5,000 employees. Before moving to Iowa, he served as superintendent in Pennsylvania’s Millcreek Township School District. Born in Brooklyn to parents who immigrated from Guyana, Roberts attended Coppin State University and later represented Guyana in track and field at the 2000 Olympics. ICE says he originally entered the U.S. on a student visa in 1999.
Court records show Roberts pleaded guilty in 2022 to a minor firearms infraction in Pennsylvania. He was fined $100 after being cited for leaving a loaded hunting rifle visible in his vehicle while deer hunting. Roberts later said he pleaded guilty to avoid distraction, but questioned whether his race influenced the citation.
Bill Melugin of Fox News cited officials to report that Roberts entered the US in 1999 on a F-1 student visa at St John’s University. As per his post, Roberts also has a weapons arrest in 2020, though the disposition of that charge/case is currently unclear.
(With AP inputs)
