Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested the Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien from Guyana, on Thursday.
Roberts, head of the largest public school district in the state, was in possession of a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a fixed blade hunting knife at the time of his arrest, according to a statement from ICE.
He entered the U.S. in 1999 on a student visa and in May of 2024, was given a final order of removal by an immigration judge. He also had existing weapon possession charges from 2020.
Authorities approached Roberts during a targeted enforcement operation, but he fled in his vehicle, which was later found near a wooded area, ICE said. Iowa State Patrol assisted in locating Roberts.
“This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement,” said ICE ERO St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson in a statement. “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.”
Recommended
DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ARRESTED BY ICE
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) September 26, 2025
ICE Des Moines arrested Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien from Guyana in possession of a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash and a fixed blade hunting knife, after he tried to evade arrest.
➡️ Learn more in our… pic.twitter.com/Sfkjtiddji
The illegal who was superintendent of @DMschools was making $270k as a BASE salary.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 26, 2025
Our tax dollars paid an illegal with a criminal record to run a massive school district.
He also got a 3.5% pay increase the same time his final deportation order was issued in 2024!
Unreal https://t.co/U1p3kTcEUs pic.twitter.com/1GJr2mjk89
The difference between MSNBC and Fox News in 2 posts. pic.twitter.com/WFYiu2ZQC2
— David Marcus (@BlueBoxDave) September 26, 2025
Editor’s Note: We voted for mass deportations, not mass amnesty. Help us continue to fight back against those trying to go against the will of the American people.
Join Townhall VIP today and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member