Dr. Ian Roberts, the Guyanese-born superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS), USA—Iowa’s largest school district—was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday, sparking shockwaves across education and immigrant communities. Dr. Roberts, who migrated from Guyana in 1999 on a student visa, was detained during a federal operation after allegedly fleeing a traffic stop and abandoning his vehicle near a wooded area.
Federal authorities later apprehended Roberts and reported finding a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a hunting knife in his possession. ICE confirmed that Roberts had overstayed his visa, received a final deportation order in May 2024, and had no legal work authorisation in the U.S. He also has a 2020 weapons possession charge in Pennsylvania, to which he pleaded guilty in 2022.
“This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement,” said Sam Olson, Director of ICE’s St. Paul Field Office. “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.”
The arrest comes just over a year after Roberts began his tenure as superintendent of DMPS on July 1, 2023. His biography, once proudly displayed on the school district’s website, noted his roots: born to Guyanese immigrant parents and raised in Brooklyn, New York, before earning advanced degrees from Coppin State, St. John’s, Georgetown, and Trident University.
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Des Moines School Board President Jackie Norris confirmed the arrest and announced that Associate Superintendent Matt Smith would immediately assume the role of interim superintendent. “Our priority is to provide a safe, secure, and outstanding education for all students,” said Norris, adding that leadership continuity was essential during this unexpected development.
The arrest has ignited a mix of concern, support, and outrage. The Iowa State Education Association and the Des Moines Education Association issued a joint statement defending Roberts’ contributions: “Since being hired as superintendent … his leadership and compassion for all students … are a beacon of light in one of the state’s most diverse school districts. This incident has created tremendous fear for DMPS students, families, and staff.”
The Guyana diaspora has also begun reacting online, many expressing disbelief that a fellow national who rose to such a prestigious position in U.S. public education could now be facing deportation under such controversial circumstances.
Meanwhile, the case has been referred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), as U.S. federal law prohibits undocumented individuals from possessing firearms or ammunition.
An investigation is also underway into how Roberts was able to obtain employment and access to a school-provided vehicle without triggering immigration checks, particularly given the existing deportation order and prior conviction.
As the legal process unfolds, Roberts remains in federal custody.
