Introduction to the Incident
DES MOINES — Officials put the leader of Iowa’s largest school district on administrative leave Saturday, a day after federal immigration agents arrested him because they said he was in the country illegally.
Background on the Incident
The Des Moines school board voted unanimously to place Supt. Ian Roberts on paid leave. The board said during a three-minute meeting that Roberts was not available to carry out his duties for the 30,000-student district and that officials would reassess his status after getting more information.
Reaction from School Board
After the meeting, school board President Jackie Norris read a statement saying that word of Roberts’ arrest Friday made for a “jarring day,” but noting that board members still didn’t have all the facts.
Details of the Arrest
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said agents detained Roberts because he was in the country illegally, didn’t have authorization to work and was subject to a final removal order issued in 2024. ICE agents stopped Roberts while he was driving a school-issued vehicle, and the agency said he then fled into a wooded area before being apprehended with help from Iowa State Patrol officers.
Current Status of the Superintendent
He was held in the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City, in northwest Iowa, about 150 miles from Des Moines.
Statement from School Board President
“I want to be clear, no one here was aware of any citizenship or immigration issues that Dr. Roberts may have been facing,” Norris said. “The accusations ICE had made against Dr. Roberts are very serious, and we are taking them very seriously.”
Legal Representation
Norris said Roberts has retained a Des Moines law firm to represent him. Lawyer Alfredo Parrish confirmed his firm was representing Roberts, but declined to comment on his case.
Background Check and Hiring Process
Norris also repeated that the district had done a background check on Roberts before he was hired that didn’t indicate any problems and that he signed a form affirming he was a U.S. citizen. A company that aided in the search for a superintendent in 2023 also hired another firm to conduct “comprehensive criminal, credit and background checks” on Roberts that didn’t indicate any citizenship problems, Norris said.
Review of Hiring Procedures
Also Saturday, the Iowa Department of Education released a statement saying Roberts stated he was a U.S. citizen when he applied for an administrator license. The department said the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners conducted a criminal history check with state and federal authorities before issuing a license.
Department Review
The department said it is reviewing the Des Moines district’s hiring procedures for ensuring people are authorized to work in the U.S.
Personal Background of the Superintendent
Roberts had previously said he was born to immigrant parents from Guyana and spent much of his childhood in Brooklyn, N.Y. He competed in the 2000 Olympics in track and field for Guyana.
Immigration History
ICE said he entered the U.S. on a student visa in 1999.
Previous Life in Guyana
A former senior Guyanese police official on Saturday remembered Roberts as a middle-distance runner who could have risen through the ranks of the South American country’s police force had he not emigrated to the U.S. decades ago. Retired Assistant Guyana Police Force Commissioner Paul Slowe said Roberts entered the police force after graduating from the country’s standard military officers’ course.
Character Reference
“He served for a few years and then left. He was not dismissed or dishonorably discharged at all; he just moved on,” Slowe told the Associated Press. “He was a good, promising and disciplined man.”
Conclusion
The arrest and subsequent placement on leave of Supt. Ian Roberts have sent shockwaves through the Des Moines school district and raised questions about the hiring process and background checks. As the situation unfolds, the district and the community will be watching closely to see how it is resolved.
FAQs
Q: Why was Supt. Ian Roberts arrested?
A: Roberts was arrested by federal immigration agents because they said he was in the country illegally, didn’t have authorization to work, and was subject to a final removal order issued in 2024.
Q: What is the current status of Supt. Roberts?
A: Roberts is currently on paid administrative leave and is being held in the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City, Iowa.
Q: Did the school district know about Roberts’ immigration issues?
A: According to school board President Jackie Norris, no one in the district was aware of any citizenship or immigration issues that Dr. Roberts may have been facing.
Q: What is the next step in the process?
A: The district will reassess Roberts’ status after getting more information, and the Iowa Department of Education is reviewing the Des Moines district’s hiring procedures for ensuring people are authorized to work in the U.S.
