Des Moines Public Schools leader Ian Roberts, a Guyanese national, had a final removal order; state revokes professional license.
Ian Andre Roberts, the Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on September 26, 2025, for being a “criminal illegal alien” subject to a final order of removal.
At the time of his apprehension, federal officers reported finding Roberts in possession of a loaded handgun, a fixed blade hunting knife, and $3,000 in cash.
Roberts, a native of Guyana, entered the U.S. on a student visa in 1999 and was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge in May 2024.
ICE’s targeted enforcement operation took place after officers approached Roberts in his vehicle, but he reportedly sped away. His vehicle, provided by the school district, was later found abandoned near a wooded area. The Iowa State Patrol assisted ICE officers in locating and taking Roberts into custody.
Weapons and Legal Status
Roberts is facing federal scrutiny regarding the possession of the firearm, as it is a violation of federal law for individuals in the U.S. without legal status to possess a firearm or ammunition. The investigation into how Roberts acquired the handgun is being turned over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
ICE also noted that Roberts has existing weapons possession charges dating back to February 5, 2020. Additionally, he was cited in Pennsylvania in 2021 and fined for storing a loaded hunting rifle in his vehicle.
Sam Olson, Field Office Director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) St. Paul, stated that Roberts’ arrest and the circumstances surrounding it should be a “wake-up call” to the community and expressed alarm over how an individual with a final removal order and a prior weapons charge was hired without work authorization.
School District Responds
Following the arrest, the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked Roberts’ professional license on Monday, citing that he “no longer possess[es] legal presence in the United States.”
Des Moines school officials stated that they were unaware of Roberts’ immigration status. When hired in 2023, Roberts had signed a form verifying his eligibility to work, and the district indicated a “comprehensive background check” was completed.
The school board put Roberts on paid administrative leave and is scheduled to meet to consider changing his status to unpaid, citing the license revocation.
Board Chair Jackie Norris acknowledged the complexity of the situation: “Dr. Roberts was an effective and well-respected leader and there are serious questions related to his citizenship and ability to legally perform his duties as superintendent.”
Roberts, 54, served as a superintendent in Pennsylvania before his two-year tenure in Des Moines. He is currently being held at an Iowa jail.
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