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An Iowa school district superintendent living in the United States illegally who also faces weapons charges was arrested Friday, authorities said.
Ian Andre Roberts, who heads the Des Moines Public Schools—the largest school district in the state—was taken into custody on a fugitive warrant. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents pursued Roberts after he sped away, authorities said.
They later found his vehicle abandoned, and an Iowa State Patrol K-9 was called in to help search for him.
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Ian Roberts, head of Des Moines Public Schools, was arrested by immigration authorities on Friday after a brief chase, Roberts was living in the United States illegally, authorities said. (Getty Images; ICE)
“After a search of the area, the subject was located in the brush approximately 200 yards south of where the vehicle was abandoned,” an ICE statement said.
Inside the vehicle, authorities found $3,000 in cash, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and a loaded Glock 19 firearm, ICE said.
“This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement,” said ICE Enforcement Removal Operations St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson. “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.”
Roberts entered the U.S. illegally from Guyana, authorities said. He last entered the country through New York on Aug. 30, 1999, on an F-1 student visa to attend St. John’s University in Queens.
Roberts was not legally authorized to work in the U.S. after his employment authorization card expired in 2020, authorities said.
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Authorities said a handgun was found in a vehicle used by Ian Roberts to flee from pursuing ICE agents. (ICE)
“Subject was encountered by Port Authority PD and arrested for weapons possession charges, which are still pending,” ICE said of existing weapon possession charges from Feb. 5, 2020.
On May 22, 2024, a judge ordered that he be deported. The proceedings were held in absentia. On April 24, 2025, an immigration judge in Dallas denied a motion to reopen the case.
Roberts was hired to serve as superintendent for Des Moines Public Schools on July 1, 2023, following a nationwide search for qualified candidates. A statement announcing his hiring said he was “chosen through a comprehensive national search based on the leadership profile prepared by the Board after receiving input from staff, parents, students and community members.”
“Dr. Roberts proudly shares that he was born to immigrant parents from Guyana, and spent most of his formative years in Brooklyn, NY.,” the DMPS news release stated at the time.
Roberts worked in education in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and St. Louis.
A message from Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris said Associate Superintendent Matt Smith will serve as interim superintendent until further notice.
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“This action follows Dr. Ian Roberts being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents this morning. We have no confirmed information as to why Dr. Roberts is being detained or the next potential steps,” the Friday message stated.
Before a career in education, Roberts competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in track and field for Guyana as a middle-distance runner, the Des Moines Register reported.
Roberts also served on the board of the Directors Council, a local group comprised of several nonprofits focused on Des Moines’ Black community.
“Dr. Roberts has been a trusted partner, a dedicated advocate for equity, and an unwavering supporter of families and youth in Polk County,” the group said in a statement. “His contributions to both The Directors Council and the wider community are immeasurable, and we stand with him during this uncertain moment.”
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“We know this news raises many questions and concerns. As an organization, our priority is to continue advancing our mission with stability and integrity while also offering our full support to Dr. Roberts and his family,” the statement continued. “We are committed to sharing updates with you as we receive confirmed information.”