A senior official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed the arrest of Dr. Ian Andre Roberts, Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, during a targeted enforcement operation on Thursday, September 26, 2025. The arrest has sent shockwaves through the community, raising questions about how Roberts was able to hold such a high-profile role despite a standing deportation order.
According to ICE, Roberts is a citizen of Guyana who has been living in the United States without legal status. He has been under a final order of removal since May 2024, following a ruling by an immigration judge. A later motion to reopen his case was denied in April 2025. Despite his immigration status, Roberts was serving as superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district.
Authorities said the arrest unfolded after ICE agents approached Roberts while he was inside his vehicle. Upon identifying themselves, Roberts allegedly fled the scene at high speed before abandoning the car nearby. With help from an Iowa State Patrol K9 unit, Roberts was found about 200 yards away, hiding in a brush-covered area.
During a search of the abandoned vehicle—identified as one provided to Roberts through his superintendent role—agents reportedly recovered a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and nearly $3,000 in cash. The firearm discovery has prompted a separate investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), as federal law prohibits undocumented immigrants from possessing weapons or ammunition.
ICE records show Roberts first entered the United States in 1999 on an F-1 student visa to attend St. John’s University in New York. He also has a prior weapons-related arrest from February 2020, though the current status of that case remains unclear. ICE officials noted that his immigration violations and possession of a firearm made him a priority for enforcement action.
In a statement, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson 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. 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 remains in ICE custody as the investigation continues, with federal authorities pledging further updates.