The Des Moines School Board has placed Superintendent Ian Roberts on unpaid administrative leave following his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The decision came shortly after the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked his administrator license due to a claim that he “no longer possesses legal presence in the United States.” This sequence of events has thrown the Des Moines Public Schools, Iowa’s largest school district, into a state of uncertainty about its leadership.
Roberts was detained by ICE on Friday under a removal order, amidst allegations that he evaded a traffic stop and abandoned a school district vehicle. The vehicle reportedly contained a loaded handgun, a knife, and cash, prompting the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to be alerted to the firearm matter. Meanwhile, the revocation of his license took effect on Saturday under Iowa Code § 256.151, though Roberts retains the option to appeal the decision by October 28 JURIST.
Board Chair Jackie Norris issued a statement on the district’s website expressing that the board received confirmation from the Department of Homeland Security that Roberts was an unauthorized worker. Accompanying this notice was a final removal order dated May 2024. The board highlighted that Roberts’ employment contract mandates a valid state administrator license and lawful work status in the U.S. His legal team was given until noon Tuesday to produce information proving Roberts’ eligibility to work, failing which the board planned to initiate actions in line with Iowa Code Chapter 279.
Originating from Guyana, Roberts entered the U.S. in 1999 on a student visa and has since been employed in multiple school districts nationwide. Despite his accomplishments and contributions, ICE pointed out his history of weapons-related charges. The complexity of his legal situation now leaves the Des Moines Public Schools facing a leadership crisis, and stakeholders are closely monitoring how this will unfold The Washington Post.