DES MOINES, Iowa — Ian Roberts, the former superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen and for being an illegal alien in possession of firearms.
A two-count indictment issued in Des Moines charges Roberts with providing false information for employment and illegally possessing a handgun after he was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Roberts, originally from Guyana, had an extensive career spanning two decades in various school districts nationally before being hired by Des Moines Public Schools in 2023 to oversee its 30,000 students. The indictment asserts he made a false declaration on an Employment Eligibility Verification form, misleading the district into believing he was eligible to work.
ICE officials reported that Roberts attempted to evade agents during their operation, abandoning his district-issued vehicle before being located in a wooded area. A handgun was found inside his vehicle wrapped in a towel.
Further complicating matters, federal authorities revealed that an immigration judge had issued a final removal order against Roberts last year, with attempts to appeal being denied earlier this year.
Following his arrest on September 26, Roberts was transferred to federal custody on October 2, where multiple firearms were subsequently discovered in his home, including a pistol, a rifle, and a shotgun.
The fallout from this case continues to challenge the integrity of the hiring practices within the Des Moines district. The school district has instituted legal actions against a consulting firm involved in Roberts' hiring process. In light of these revelations, school board chair Jackie Norris has begun reviewing the expenditures made by the district in hiring Roberts and has also recently suspended her campaign for a U.S. Senate seat due to the controversy.
The situation underscores the growing concerns surrounding immigration regulation and the scrutiny of employment verification practices within public education.
