Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts arrested by ICE

Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts was arrested by U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement for allegedly being in the United States illegally, according to federal officials.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, confirmed Roberts' Friday, Sept. 26, arrest and detention and said a court had issued a "final order of removal" in May 2024 for the deportation of the Guyana native and longtime U.S. resident.

She said Roberts abandoned his car and fled from police on Friday, and was allegedly in possession of a loaded handgun, a large amount of cash and a hunting knife. He was arrested in what DHS described as a "targeted enforcement operation."

At a 3 p.m. news conference, School Board Chair Jackie Norris said the district was still working to learn more about what happened.

"We do not have all the facts. There is much we do not know," she said. "However, what we do know is Dr. Roberts has been an integral part of our school community since he joined two years ago."

She said earlier in the day that Associate Superintendent Matt Smith will serve as interim superintendent until further notice. Smith previously served as interim superintendent during the 2022-23 school year.

In a statement Friday evening, the district said it "has not been formally notified by ICE about this matter, nor have we been able to talk with Dr. Roberts since his detention."

Roberts, 54, has served as Des Moines Public Schools superintendent since July 2023.

DHS says Superintendent Roberts lacked work authorization; DMPS knew about a 2021 hunting rifle citation

In an emailed statement, DHS called Roberts a "criminal illegal alien."

Roberts allegedly sped away when officers approached his vehicle and identified themselves, and officers found his vehicle abandoned in a nearby wooded area. Inside was the handgun, $3,000 in cash and the hunting knife, the department said.

Roberts' official DMPS bio says "he enjoys hunting."

In response to the reports of the loaded gun reportedly found in Roberts' vehicle, the district said Friday evening that its policy dictates that weapons are "prohibited on school grounds or at a school-sponsored or school-related activity."

DHS states that Roberts has "existing weapon possession charges" from Feb. 5, 2020. It's not clear where those charges were filed or whether they were resolved. Records of those existing charges were not immediately available or provided Friday.

"Dr. Roberts has a previous firearm charge related to a hunting rifle, which he disclosed to the DMPS Board during the hiring process. He provided sufficient context and explanation of the situation to move forward in the hiring process.  He has also spoken publicly about this experience," DMPS said in a release.

However, that charge was from 2021 in Pennsylvania. 

In its statement Friday evening, the Des Moines district said a third-party comprehensive background check had been conducted on Roberts and he would have been required to verify employment eligibility for all employees.

"In this case, Dr. Roberts completed the I-9 employment eligibility verification form and submitted the required documentation," reads the statement from Phil Roeder, the districts' director of communications and public affairs.

The statement also said the district had no knowledge of Roberts' order of removal. 

Who is Ian Roberts, Des Moines' superintendent?

Roberts grew up in Brooklyn, New York City. Federal records and previous reporting said he was born in Guyana. Before a career in education, Roberts competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in track and field for Guyana as a mid-distance runner.

Roberts became the superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools in July 2023. He succeeded longtime Superintendent Tom Ahart, who resigned at the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

The DHS statement says Roberts entered the United States on a student visa in 1999. It also states that Roberts was working for the school district despite having no work authorization.

"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 Enforcement and Removal Operations St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson said. “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.”

DHS also accused Roberts of violating federal law by possessing a handgun while in the U.S. without legal authorization, and said it was referring him to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for further investigation.

DMPS choses to 'paddle together'

Norris, the chair of the Des Moines Public Schools board, said Roberts received a valid license from the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners in 2023 before beginning his tenure with Des Moines. She said there is "new information that has been made public" but said the board has not yet been able to verify additional details.

Matt Smith, the interim superintendent, acknowledged the concern and alarm of community members and said that "we, too, are devastated by news of his detainment," but that the district would continue working hard to serve its students.

"In the words of Dr. Roberts, 'if you paddle together, you will survive the tide. If you paddle alone, you will likely drown,'" he said "As we learn more, we chose to paddle together."

Roberts initially held in Iowa jail

According to ICE's website, Roberts is in the agency's custody. Initially, he was listed as detained at the Pottawattamie County Jail, although the listing was updated later Friday to remove any mention of a specific detention facility.

The Iowa jail would have put him in close proximity to the Omaha Immigration Court, the closest federal immigration court to Des Moines.

Data from Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), a research organization at Syracuse University, from early September showed Pottawattamie County Jail in Council Bluffs had a daily average of 37 ICE detainees. The jail typically holds an annual average of 38 people for ICE, Pottawattamie County Jail Administrator Trisha Bernhards said.

Pottawattamie County Jail can hold somewhere between 95 to 100 federal inmates, she said. Thirty-five beds are for ICE detainees.

Iowa State Patrol assisted in arrest, DMPD not involved

Des Moines Mayor Connie Boesen said in a statement that city officials, including the police department, did not have advance notice that Roberts was to be detained.

"The City of Des Moines is learning of Dr. Roberts’ detainment alongside the rest of the community," she said. "At this time, we do not have any additional information regarding this incident as the Des Moines Police Department was not involved and did not have prior knowledge of this search."

The Iowa Department of Public Safety said in a news release that state troopers were called by ICE for help "in locating an individual who fled from a traffic stop initiated by their agents" at about 8:45 a.m. Friday.

Governor in contact with state and federal officials

Mason Mauro, a spokesman for Gov. Kim Reynolds, said in a statement that Reynolds was informed Friday morning that Roberts was taken into custody by ICE agents.

Reynolds "is in contact with the Iowa Department of Public Safety and federal authorities," Mauro said.

Superintendent Ian Roberts' supporters react

The Directors Council, an umbrella group of several nonprofits focused on Des Moines' Black community, said in a statement that Roberts is "a valued member of our board" and it was seeking details on the circumstances of his detention.

"Dr. Roberts has been a trusted partner, a dedicated advocate for equity, and an unwavering supporter of families and youth in Polk County," the statement posted to Facebook read. His contributions to both The Directors Council and the wider community are immeasurable, and we stand with him during this uncertain moment."

Alison Hoeman, founder of the local nonprofit Des Moines Refugees Support, said she was stunned when she heard the news and that her phone “blew up” this morning with texts from friends and volunteers already looking for ways to support Roberts. She has learned from families of Des Moines Public School of students calling their parents, asking, “‘Nothing’s going to happen to Dr. Roberts, right?’”

“You know it’s the Black and Brown kids who are worried," she said. "If it’s Ian Roberts who’s in trouble, what does that mean for them?”

Mazie Stilwell, executive director of the liberal group Progress Iowa, demanded "answers and appropriate action" from elected leaders in a statement.

"No Iowan is safe. We’re living under a fascist regime because Nunn, Miller-Meeks, Hinson and every single Iowa Member of Congress has been in lockstep with the MAGA administration that is terrorizing our communities," said Stilwell, who noted she is a DMPS parent. "President Trump is willing to use political power against anyone who disagrees with him."

Rep. Ashley Hinson: Roberts 'dangerous fugitive,' 'should be deported'

In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, U.S. Rep. and Senate candidate Ashley Hinson called for Roberts to be "deported immediately" and challenged Democratic candidate Zach Wahls to disagree.

"ICE arrested the Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, Ian Andre Roberts — an illegal alien from Guyana & active ICE fugitive with a deportation order since May 2024. When ICE caught him, agents found a loaded gun, a hunting knife, and $3,000 in cash. He should be deported immediately.

"He should have never been anywhere around Iowa kids in the first place!" Hinson wrote.

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, who represents the area that includes DMPS, said in a statement on X, that he stands "with our law enforcement officers who uphold public safety.

"Unfortunate situations like today underscore exactly why we must fix our broken immigration system. An individual with a prior weapons charge and an active deportation order should never have been placed in this position of public trust," Nunn said. "Since 2023, my office has opened more than 800 cases to help Iowans navigate immigration issues — and we’ll continue doing that work."

Iowa Sen. and candidate for governor Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, also weighed in, on X by asking, "How does this happen? How does the biggest school district miss the red flags?" He suggested the Legislature might hold oversight hearings on the "scandal."

In a post on Facebook, Iowa Rep. Larry McBurney, D-Des Moines, said he was "furious" to learn about Roberts' arrest.

"This is not only unacceptable, it is an outright disgrace," he said. "Our schools should never be treated as political battlegrounds for federal overreach."

McBurney said he's called on Iowa's congressional delegation, including Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, to take action.

"I hold President Trump and Iowa’s delegation — Congressman Zach Nunn, Senator Chuck Grassley, and Senator Joni Ernst — directly responsible for this action. Their silence or complicity will not go unnoticed. If they have any shred of leadership, they must intervene immediately."

Read the entire DMPS letter to the Des Moines schools community

"On behalf of the Board of the Des Moines Public Schools, I wish to share information of immediate importance to the DMPS community. 

Pursuant to the Board-approved DMPS leadership succession plan, Matt Smith, Associate Superintendent, will immediately step into the role of Interim Superintendent until further notice. This action follows Dr. Ian Roberts being detained by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents this morning. We have no confirmed information as to why Dr. Roberts is being detained or the next potential steps.

Our priority is to provide a safe, secure and outstanding education for all students and to support our students, families, and employees. The appointment of Mr. Smith as Interim Superintendent ensures that our District continues to operate at the highest level. 

Mr. Smith previously served DMPS as Interim Superintendent during the 2022-2023 school year.  The Board has the highest confidence in Mr. Smith’s leadership at this time. We know you have many questions, and we will provide updates as we learn more confirmed information. We thank you and appreciate your support. 

Jackie Norris, Board President

Des Moines Public Schools

Reporter Amanda Tugade contributed to this report.