Des Moines Public School Superintendent detained by ICE

[Bettie]

No one seems to know why.

https://www.kcrg.com/2025/09/26/des-moines-public-schools-superintendent-detained-by-ice/

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) - The Des Moines Public School District is quickly putting an interim superintendent in place, after they say ICE agents detained the current Superintendent.

In a statement from the district, they say Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents detained Dr. Ian Roberts Friday morning. They say they do not know why this happened, or what the next potential steps are for him.

They did say they pursued their “Board-approved DMPS leadership succession plan.”

The statement said “Matt Smith, Associate Superintendent, will immediately step into the role of Interim Superintendent until further notice... Our priority is to provide a safe, secure and outstanding education for all students and to support our students, families, and employees. The appointment of Mr. Smith as Interim Superintendent ensures that our District continues to operate at the highest level.”

[ananda]

1. School not white enough?

???

[Bettie]

2. Who freaking knows?

But he is not white, so that may have something to do with it.

[ananda]

7. Thanks.

That could explain it.

[moondust]

3. Born in Guyana.

That might have something to do with it.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2025/09/26/dmps-superintendent-arrested-ice-ian-roberts-des-moines/86371069007/

[Bettie]

5. His parents are immigrants from Guyana

sounds like he and his brothers were born in the US, grew up in Brooklyn, NY.

https://www.iowapublicradio.org/ipr-news/2025-09-26/des-moines-public-schools-superintendent-ian-roberts-detained-by-ice-immigration-agents

Roberts was named superintendent in 2023. A district profile states he was born to immigrant parents from Guyana and grew up in Brooklyn, New York.

[Coldwater]

6. Was he shielding undocumented immigrant children

within the school system?

[Bettie]

10. He demanded warrants

from ICE if they wanted to go into the schools.

[Coldwater]

11. That's a reasonable request

[MichMan]

9. He himself said in an interview at Coppin State that he was born in Guyana

"My steps have been divinely guided during the past thirty years, and I am confident that they will continue to be guided,” he said, “and one day I hope to return to my birthplace of Guyana, South America as a public servant."

https://www.coppin.edu/andre-ian-roberts-98

[Coldwater]

4. Guyana. Tragedy 2.0

Arrested and detained by the cult of trump

[Jose Garcia]

8. He recieved a final deportation order during the Biden Administration

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/article/ice-arrests-des-moines-schools-superintendent-ian-andre-roberts-says-hes-a-criminal-illegal-alien-with-a-prior-weapons-charge-213455233.html

[Melon]

12. CNN now reporting illegal immigration status plus Biden issued deportation order from 2024

He also had a loaded handgun in his school vehicle when arrested.
Per NBC he had a 2020 weapons charge as well.

I’m reading more now. All outlets are updating the story.

[MichMan]

13. Dr. Ian Roberts' license revoked by Iowa Board of Educational Examiners

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners has revoked the license of Dr. Ian Roberts, the Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent, who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Des Moines on Friday.

The Iowa Department of Education provided the letter informing Dr. Roberts of its actions on Monday morning. The letter was dated Sunday, September 28th, stating “Our office has received information that you no longer possess legal presence in the United States, therefore you are not able to hold a license issued by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners (Iowa Code 256, Iowa Administrative Code 282). The license issued by the Board of Educational Examiners is no longer valid and your authority to serve as superintendent is revoked.”

https://who13.com/news/dr-ian-roberts-license-revoked-by-iowa-board-of-educational-examiners/