Des Moines Superintendent Ian Roberts resigns after ICE arrest
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Ian Roberts in August 2023. Photo: Linh Ta/Axios
The Des Moines school board accepted Superintendent Ian Roberts' resignation Tuesday night in a unanimous vote.
Driving the news: "It is a sad and troubling end for an individual who gave many people, especially our students, hope," Chairperson Jackie Norris said, reading from a statement during the meeting.
The big picture: The resignation comes after several days of uncertainty in the community following Roberts' detainment by federal immigration officers on Friday.
State of play: During a press conference Tuesday, Roberts' attorney Alfredo Parrish noted his case is complex and involves several law enforcement agencies.
- His firm filed a motion on Monday seeking to allow Roberts to remain in the U.S. while they work on his immigration case, Parrish said.
- When asked if Roberts is a U.S. citizen, Parrish declined to comment.
Catch up quick: Roberts, a Guyana native, has worked in U.S. education for over 20 years. He became DMPS superintendent in July 2023.
- Roberts entered the U.S. on a student visa in 1999 and was given a final removal order by an immigration judge in May 2024, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- After his detention, ICE said in a press release he had escaped agents and was found with a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash and a fixed blade hunting knife, though few details were released.
What they're saying: Parrish said they're working on reopening Roberts' immigration case related to the 2024 removal order.
- He said a prior attorney informed Roberts that the 2024 case was successfully closed, and he believed that.
- A partially redacted removal order dated May 2024 was sent to Axios by the office of U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn. It notes that Roberts failed to appear at a hearing regarding his removal and was ordered deported to Guyana.
Between the lines: Many questions about Roberts and his detainment remain, but Parrish encouraged the community to remain patient as they take things "step by step."
- A Des Moines Register story published Tuesday highlighted that Roberts, who frequently stated he received his doctoral degree from Morgan State University in Baltimore, did not actually complete it, according to the school.
- U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said he wrote to DHS Secretary Krisi Noem in an effort to get more answers about Roberts' immigration status, KCCI reports.
What's next: The Justice Department announced Tuesday it is investigating DMPS for "race-based employment practices," noting the district in 2021 created goals to increase the number of teachers of color.
Read Roberts' partially redacted deportation order in full, via DocumentCloud: