Des Moines Superintendent Ian Roberts Resigns Amidst Immigration Controversy, Federal Investigation

The Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) board has officially accepted the resignation of Superintendent Ian Roberts, following a tumultuous period marked by his detainment by immigration authorities and a looming deportation challenge. The board’s unanimous vote on Tuesday came just hours after Roberts submitted his resignation, stating he did not want to distract the district from its educational mission.

Roberts, a Guyana native and former Olympic runner, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents last week, who alleged he was living and working in the country illegally. This led to a state board stripping his superintendent’s license and the DMPS board placing him on unpaid leave on Monday.

The controversy deepened with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announcing an investigation on Tuesday into whether the district engaged in racial discrimination through its teacher diversity initiatives. Concurrently, hundreds of high school students staged walkouts and protests in support of Roberts and against broader ICE actions.

Roberts’ attorney, Alfredo Parrish, stated that Roberts had been under the impression his immigration case was “resolved successfully” by a prior attorney. Parrish’s firm has filed a request to stay Roberts’ deportation and is working on reopening his immigration proceedings, describing the situation as a “very complex case.” Roberts is currently being held at the Woodbury County Jail.

DMPS board chair Jackie Norris expressed a “sad and troubling end” to Roberts’ tenure but affirmed the district’s commitment to its 30,000 students and 5,000 staff members, emphasizing the need to move forward. Federal authorities are also investigating how Roberts obtained a handgun allegedly found in his district vehicle during his arrest, which could lead to criminal charges.

The district stated it was not notified of Roberts’ May 2024 removal order until Monday and that Roberts had attested to being a U.S. citizen upon his 2023 hiring, providing a Social Security card and driver’s license for verification.

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