ICE arrest of Des Moines school superintendent prompts online reactions

Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts on Friday after a brief pursuit during which he identified himself to agents, ICE said. Officials allege Roberts is in the United States illegally from Guyana and had a final removal order issued by a judge last May. Roberts has led Des Moines Public Schools since 2017 and earns more than $300,000 a year, according to district records.

According to ICE, the arrest followed Roberts driving away from federal officers after identifying himself to them. He later abandoned his car in a wooded area, and Iowa State Patrol located him, ICE said. A loaded handgun was found in a vehicle used by Roberts to flee from pursuing agents. ICE's St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson framed the arrest as a reminder of ongoing efforts to remove public safety threats. Authorities said the superintendent had been operating with the district, and the case prompted questions about background checks at the district level.

The district said Roberts had previously undergone an I-9 verification to prove his legal status, but that check was performed by a third-party group and the district did not know about an order of removal. The district also noted that Roberts came to the United States in 1999 on a student visa and had a prior weapons possession charge in 2020, according to ICE.

Roberts came to the United States in 1999 on a student visa and built a career that culminated in his appointment as superintendent, a role that placed him in charge of one of Iowa’s largest public school systems. ICE notes the 2020 weapons charge as part of the agency’s public record on the supervisor’s case.

Reaction on social media was swift and polarized. Attorney Laura Powell posted on X that: "Incredible. An illegal alien with a deportation order managed to become the Superintendent of Schools for Des Moines, earning more than $300,000 a year." Others urged caution or criticized ICE’s actions, with some commenters calling the arrest a sign of broader immigration policy concerns. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, posted that Roberts "should be deported immediately." Some Des Moines protesters told local outlets that ICE’s activity focused on enforcement rather than community safety, while others argued that background checks should have flagged an order of removal earlier. A Michigan State House candidate, Zachary Shinabargar, joined the online debate with a post advocating to abolish ICE.

Public and political figures who spoke on the matter stressed different points. Some argued that the district’s hiring practices allowed an individual with a known removal order to work in a high-profile role, while others maintained the focus should remain on student safety and procedural compliance. The Des Moines Register reported that some community members protested the arrests, contending that ICE actions disrupt families and local schools. The district and state officials did not immediately offer extensive commentary beyond ICE statements and a district acknowledgment that the I-9 check had been administered by a contractor.

The episode has renewed attention on how schools verify employees’ work authorization and how removal orders are communicated to districts, particularly when verification is outsourced. The district has said that it relied on standard employment-screening practices but did not have knowledge of any removal order at the time of Roberts’s hire. ICE officials framed the arrest as part of ongoing enforcement efforts and exhorted communities to cooperate with investigators.

From a broader perspective, the incident underscores the overlap between immigration enforcement and education administration. While school officials emphasized a commitment to student safety and lawful hiring processes, critics argued that immigration status should not be a central factor in determining a school district leader’s qualifications. The investigation remains active, and authorities have not disclosed additional details about potential disciplinary actions, the status of Roberts’s employment, or any forthcoming charges beyond those already identified in agency records.