DES MOINES, IA – In a shocking development that has sent reverberations through Iowa’s largest school district, Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ian Andre Roberts was arrested Thursday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A senior ICE official confirmed that Dr. Roberts, a citizen of Guyana, is in the country without legal status, has a final order of removal, and was apprehended after a dramatic chase while in possession of a loaded handgun inside his district-issued vehicle.

The arrest raises profound questions about the vetting and hiring processes at Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) and has created an unprecedented leadership crisis for the district.

A Dramatic Arrest Unfolds

The operation took place on Thursday, September 26, 2025. According to a statement from ICE, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) agents identified and approached Dr. Roberts while he was inside his vehicle. When the agents identified themselves as federal law enforcement, Roberts allegedly refused to comply and instead fled the scene at high speed.

A brief pursuit ensued before Roberts abandoned the vehicle, which officials confirmed was provided to him by Des Moines Public Schools. He then fled on foot into a nearby brush-covered area. With the assistance of an Iowa State Patrol K9 unit, agents were able to track and locate him approximately 200 yards from the abandoned car. He was taken into federal custody without further incident.

Loaded Weapon and Cash Recovered from School Vehicle

During a subsequent search of the school district vehicle, ICE agents reported discovering several alarming items: a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and approximately $3,000 in cash.

The discovery of the firearm has triggered a separate federal investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has been notified, as federal law strictly prohibits any individual without lawful immigration status from possessing firearms or ammunition. The investigation will focus on how Dr. Roberts, who also has a prior weapons-related arrest from 2020, obtained the gun.

Immigration History and Final Removal Order

ICE records provide a timeline of Dr. Roberts’ status in the United States. He first entered the country legally in 1999 on an F-1 student visa to attend St. John’s University in New York. However, his legal status eventually lapsed.

On May 22, 2024, an immigration judge ordered him removed from the United States in absentia, meaning he failed to appear for his court hearing, resulting in a final deportation order. Nearly a year later, on April 24, 2025, a motion filed on his behalf to reopen his immigration case was denied by an immigration judge in Dallas, Texas, cementing his status as subject to removal.

“Beyond Comprehension”: ICE Slams School District Hiring Practices

In a scathing statement, ICE ERO St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson condemned the circumstances that allowed Roberts to hold such a high-profile position.

“This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement,” Olson stated. “This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats. 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.”

ICE also extended its gratitude to the Iowa State Patrol for its critical assistance in safely apprehending the suspect.

Unanswered Questions and a District in Crisis

The arrest leaves the Des Moines Public Schools district and its board facing a barrage of urgent questions regarding their hiring protocols and background checks. It remains unclear what level of vetting was performed when Dr. Roberts was hired and whether his immigration status or prior weapons charge was known to the district.

As of early Saturday morning, Des Moines Public Schools has not yet issued a public statement regarding the arrest of its superintendent. Dr. Roberts remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings