OAN Staff Alex Cammarata and Sophia Flores
6:24 PM – Friday, September 26, 2025
An Iowa superintendent arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents is stepping down from his role.
On Tuesday, attorneys for Dr. Ian Roberts announced that he has resigned from his position in a letter to the school board.
“Dr. Roberts has authorized me to send this letter announcing his immediate resignation from his position as superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. Out of concern for his 30,000 students, Dr. Roberts does not want to distract the Board, educators, and staff from focusing on educating DMPS’s students,” the letter read.
On Monday, the Des Moines Public Schools board voted unanimously to place Roberts on leave after the state revoked his Iowa administrator license.
This comes after Roberts was detained by ICE agents who said he was an illegal alien from Guyana, a country in South America. Additionally, he had existing weapon possession charges against him.
Roberts has served as superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools since July 2023. Before joining the district, he held leadership roles in multiple school districts across the U.S. for over 20 years.
In the wake of Roberts’ arrest, the Des Moines School Board has since appointed Associate Superintendent Matt Smith as interim superintendent. Board Chair Jackie Norris expressed shock over the arrest, claiming that the district had no prior knowledge of Roberts’ immigration status or removal order.
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