Ian Andre Roberts, the superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on September 26, 2025, due to his status as an illegal immigrant evading deportation, highlighting significant lapses in background checks for high-level public positions.
Roberts, who had previously competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games for Guyana, was found in possession of a firearm, which raises questions about the legality of firearm ownership by non-immigrant visa holders under U.S. law, as outlined by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The arrest has prompted immediate administrative changes within the school district, with Associate Superintendent Matt Smith stepping in as interim superintendent, and it underscores broader issues of immigration enforcement and public safety in educational leadership roles.