Iowa Superintendent Arrested by ICE on Immigration, Weapons Charges
Immigration agents have arrested the superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district, accusing him of overstaying his visa and possessing a firearm illegally.
Ian Andre Roberts, who leads Des Moines Public Schools, was taken into custody Friday on a fugitive warrant, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Officials said the Guyana-born educator’s work permit expired in 2020, and he was ordered deported earlier this year.
ICE said Roberts was found carrying a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a hunting knife after initially fleeing police in a district-issued vehicle. He also faces a prior weapons charge dating back to 2020.
“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,” said ICE’s local director, Sam Olson.
School officials said they were not informed of the details of the arrest. School Board Chair Jackie Norris told reporters the district is still gathering information but called Roberts “an integral part of our school community.”
Roberts, who previously worked in schools across several states, competed in track and field for Guyana at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He remains in federal custody at a detention facility near Des Moines while the firearms case is referred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
