DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines Public Schools is reeling after its newly hired superintendent, Ian Roberts, was revealed to be in the United States illegally and facing a final order of deportation, ICE officials said. The 24-year-old educator, the first African American to hold the role, was also arrested in possession of a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and $3,000 in cash.
Roberts, who began as superintendent on July 1, 2023, came under scrutiny after reports surfaced about multiple legal settlements he left behind at his previous post in Millcreek Township, Pennsylvania. Those settlements totaled over $400,000 and involved claims from former employees of “unlawful treatment” and demotions. Des Moines officials said they were unaware of the Pennsylvania settlements at the time of hiring.
The immigration issue compounded the controversy. Roberts, originally from Guyana, entered the U.S. on a student visa in 1999 but never obtained permanent residency or citizenship. A weapons possession charge in 2020 did not reveal his status, and a final deportation order issued in May 2024 went undisclosed to the Des Moines school board. ICE said Roberts attempted to evade arrest by abandoning his vehicle in the woods before being apprehended.
Further questions have arisen about his academic credentials. While the district announced that Roberts had earned a doctorate from Trident University, reports indicate he attended Morgan State University but did not complete a degree there. He holds a bachelor’s from Coppin State University and a master’s from St. John’s University.
School board officials, including Chair Jackie Norris, stressed that they relied on a search firm for Roberts’ hiring and were unaware of his citizenship or immigration issues. Norris also noted Roberts’ charismatic presence and impact on students, saying, “Two things can be true: it is possible that you may not be a citizen, but you are still a good human being.”
The revelations have left the school board scrambling for leadership solutions while facing national attention over the superintendent’s hiring, undisclosed legal settlements, and illegal status in the United States.
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