An illegal immigrant from Guyana serving Des Moines Public Schools superintendent arrested last week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement has had his Iowa education license revoked.
According to ICE, Ian Andre Roberts had a final order of removal and isn’t authorized to work in the U.S. He was arrested last week after evading arrest.
Roberts had in his possession a loaded handgun, $3,000 cash, and a hunting knife when arrested, the agency said. He also has a previous weapon possession charge dating back to February 5, 2020.
Since it’s illegal for individuals without legal status to possess firearms, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating how he obtained the firearms.
“This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement,” ICE ERO St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson said in a statement. “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.”
“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,” he added.
On Sunday, the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked Roberts’ education license, local news reported.
“Our office has received information that you no longer possess legal presence in the United States, therefore you are not able to hold a license issued by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners … The license issued by the Board of Educational Examiners is no longer valid and your authority to serve as superintendent is revoked,” the board’s letter to Roberts read.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds called Roberts’ arrest “shocking.”
“The arrest on Friday of Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts was shocking, particularly his attempt to evade authorities, and the loaded gun, knife, and large sum of cash found in his vehicle. The investigation is still underway, so I won’t comment on details of the case at this time. But I want to be clear: we are a nation of laws that must be enforced,” she said. “Those who believe immigration laws are optional are dangerously wrong. When laws are ignored, or when people are led to believe there will be no consequences, our communities are at risk.”
— Gov. Kim Reynolds (@IAGovernor) September 27, 2025
“Iowans won’t stand for that. We must enforce the law, every time, to protect our families and our future,” she added.
In 2023, Roberts advocated to change the school district’s hiring policy so job candidates who had criminal records could be considered for jobs within the district, the Des Moines Register reported at the time.
