Overview

• The Des Moines school board voted 6-0 to shift Ian Roberts from paid to unpaid leave and warned it will move to terminate him absent contrary documentation from his attorney by Tuesday.
• Iowa’s Board of Educational Examiners revoked Roberts’ license after concluding he lacks legal presence in the U.S., though the letter notes he may appeal the decision.
• ICE says Roberts entered on a student visa in 1999, is under a final 2024 removal order, fled a traffic stop, and was found with a loaded handgun, a hunting knife, and about $3,000 in cash; he is held at the Woodbury County Jail.
• District leaders say third-party checks and state/FBI screenings cleared him and that he affirmed U.S. citizenship on hiring forms, while state officials emphasize employers must verify I‑9 work eligibility and lawmakers seek reviews of vetting practices.
• Federal authorities asked ATF to examine how Roberts obtained the firearm, protests and NAACP outreach followed his detention, and Associate Superintendent Matt Smith is serving as interim superintendent.