Des Moines schools superintendent Ian Roberts was arrested by immigration officials after a law enforcement search revealed he might be in the country illegally. Dr. Roberts, who has been leading Iowa’s largest school district for two years, is accused of having a deportation order and no authorization to work in the US.
School board members voted 7-0 to place Dr. Roberts on paid administrative leave as news spread. The superintendent had previously celebrated improved marks on a state evaluation, saying it showed “the foundation of an outstanding school district.” However, his immigration status is now under scrutiny, with some residents protesting and politicians calling for deportation.
Dr. Roberts was born in Guyana and entered the US on a student visa in 1999. He has pleaded guilty to having a loaded firearm inside a vehicle in Pennsylvania but claims he was licensed and used the gun to make an officer feel safe during a hunting trip. ICE officials say Dr. Roberts had a deportation order, no work authorization, and faced weapon possession charges.
The controversy surrounding Dr. Roberts’s detention is heightened due to President Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Some residents express confusion about the situation, while others are concerned about how Dr. Roberts managed to move between school systems without proper authorization.
Des Moines Public Schools officials claim they had vetted Dr. Roberts through forms and background checks but acknowledge that an outside consulting firm was involved in his hiring process. ICE officials describe the employment of Dr. Roberts as “beyond comprehension” given a judge’s order for removal and lack of work authorization.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/27/us/des-moines-schools-superintendent-ice-leave.html