U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the arrest of Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien from Guyana who was serving as superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools while living in the United States illegally. Federal officers said Roberts had a final order of removal and no legal work authorization at the time of his arrest.
On Wednesday, Oct. 1, Roberts submitted his resignation, which was accepted by the school board unanimously.
Republicans in the state legislature are have launched a probe into how the board vetted Roberts.
After the arrest, the Des Moines School Board initially placed Roberts on paid leave. However, after a special meeting on Sept. 29, the board reversed course and put him on unpaid leave after the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked his administrator’s license, automatically triggering the action under state law. School Board Chair Jackie Norris said the board had no additional details from federal officials but called on the community “to engage in radical empathy as we work through this situation together.” [YouTube Presser 3:18]
On Sept. 26, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officers conducted a targeted enforcement operation in Des Moines after identifying Roberts in his vehicle. According to officials, Roberts fled the scene, abandoning the car near a wooded area. He was later located and taken into custody with assistance from the Iowa State Patrol. Agents recovered a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a fixed-blade hunting knife from the vehicle, which was provided by the school district.
Roberts’ immigration history spans more than two decades. He first entered the United States in 1999 on a student visa. In May 2024, an immigration judge issued a final order of removal against him. Court records also show Roberts has a prior weapons charge from February 2020. Despite these red flags, he was hired into a top leadership position within the Des Moines school system.
Norris added that Roberts had been “an integral part of our school community” since arriving over two years ago and noted that he had “advocated for students and staff and begun introducing concepts that will help us reimagine education for future generations.” The district said it asked Roberts’ attorney to provide clarification of his citizenship status by Tuesday at noon.
The Iowa Department of Education told the public that Roberts certified himself as a U.S. citizen when applying for his license, signing under penalty of perjury. If that claim is false, officials said, it could represent a legal violation. The Board of Educational Examiners said it followed its normal procedures, including FBI background checks, and emphasized it is the employer’s responsibility to verify work authorization.
The district also said Roberts provided a driver’s license and Social Security card when completing his I-9 employment form, and that outside counsel reviewed the documentation without raising concerns.
Roberts now faces an uphill legal battle to remain in the U.S. Immigration court records show he already sought to reopen his case earlier this year but was denied by a federal judge in April 2025. Federal law bars anyone without legal status from possessing firearms or ammunition, carrying penalties of up to 10 years in prison. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is reviewing how Roberts obtained the handgun.
ICE officials emphasized that this case should alarm parents and community members, noting Roberts’ lack of legal status, prior weapons history, and the presence of a loaded firearm in his vehicle. “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,” said ICE ERO St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson.
Roberts remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. The case continues to raise questions about how someone with a final order of removal and no legal work authorization could rise to lead Iowa’s largest public school district.
