ICE arrest exposes gaps in oversight: How superintendent Ian Roberts ran Des Moines schools undetected
In 2023, Des Moines Public Schools set out to hire a superintendent with a precise vision: improve reading scores, strengthen the math performance of Black boys, adhere to affirmative action goals, and provide steady leadership in the wake of COVID-19 and the racial justice protests of 2020. Among dozens of applicants, one name stood out. Ian Roberts’ resume appeared almost flawless.Roberts, an immigrant from Guyana and a former Olympian, had built a career in urban school districts, combining hands-on administration with public visibility. He authored books, delivered speeches, and highlighted degrees from recognized universities. In his cover letter for the Des Moines position, Roberts wrote, “I believe deeply in the promise of public education being the most important opportunity gap closer for youth, particularly with a focus on diverse populations,” according to The New York Times.
Red flags overlooked
The district’s vetting process, which included two outside consulting firms, flagged minor concerns: a past brush with law enforcement and a misstatement about the location of his doctorate. Roberts also claimed U.S. citizenship to the district and a state licensing board. No one questioned it further. By the time he assumed leadership, he was overseeing roughly 30,000 students and 5,000 employees.
Two years without scrutiny
For two years, Roberts’ tenure appeared unremarkable. The district reported modest academic improvements, and colleagues described him as engaged and visible. Behind the scenes, Roberts’ legal status remained complicated. He had previously been deported from the U.S. on paper but continued to work. ICE documents show Roberts’ legal residence was intermittent, with periods of authorization from 1999 to 2004 and 2018 to 2020, leaving years unaccounted for publicly.
The arrest that changed everything
The facade collapsed on September 26, 2025, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Roberts near a trailer park. Authorities reported that he fled from officers in a district-owned Jeep, where a loaded handgun was later discovered. Federal prosecutors have since charged him with illegal possession of firearms and other related offenses, citing his lack of legal status as the basis.
Administrative fallout
Roberts’ arrest prompted immediate administrative fallout. He resigned from his $286,000-a-year post, and protests emerged demanding ICE reconsider his detention. Meanwhile, the Des Moines school board faced scrutiny over its hiring practices. Jackie Norris, board chair and Democratic Senate candidate, defended the district, emphasizing that Roberts had presented documentation including a Social Security card and driver’s license, and that an outside firm had vetted his credentials. The board has since filed a lawsuit against the consulting firm, alleging lapses in the verification process.
A career of accomplishment and ambiguity
The New York Times reviewed employment records, court filings, and communication with Roberts through a jail messaging system, and interviewed colleagues spanning more than 25 years. In messages, Roberts expressed hope for a resolution, writing, “I am hopeful, prayerful, and optimistic that there will be a path for me to stay here and continue inspiring and having an indelible impact.”Roberts’ trajectory before Des Moines reflects both accomplishment and ambiguity. Arriving in the U.S. on a visitor visa in 1994, he became the first male NCAA All-American in Coppin State University history and represented Guyana at international track competitions, including the 2000 Sydney Olympics. His early adulthood details remain inconsistent, with varying birth dates and locations listed across official records.After earning a master’s degree from St. John’s University in 2000, Roberts’ applications for permanent residency were repeatedly denied. He worked as a teacher and principal in Baltimore, eventually leading the Millcreek Township School District in Pennsylvania. District records note both positive performance reviews and settled employee disputes. During his tenure there, Roberts claimed U.S. citizenship, despite an expired work authorization.
Questions of oversight and accountability
The arrest has raised questions beyond the individual case. How did a man barred from legal employment ascend to one of the most visible leadership roles in Iowa’s largest school district? What failures in oversight allowed discrepancies in immigration status and credential verification to go unnoticed for years? The Justice Department has opened an inquiry into the district’s practices and affirmative action programs, examining whether federal law was violated.As the investigation unfolds, the case challenges assumptions about the efficacy of external consulting, the verification of background information, and the accountability structures in public education. For a city relying on its school system to bridge opportunity gaps, the questions left in Roberts’ wake may prove as consequential as the man himself.
