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51m ago

ICE Detains Des Moines Schools Chief, Citing Final Removal Order and Gun Possession

The case spotlights unresolved questions over how a high‑profile school hire cleared verification.

Dr Ian Roberts (1)
Ian Roberts speaks with the media after being named the new DMPS superintendent during a Des Moines Public Schools board meeting at Central Campus on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in Des Moines.
Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts speaks during the Standing Up For Public Education Rally at Goodrell Middle School in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., May 1, 2025. Lily Smith/The Register/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images via REUTERS/File photo
Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Ian Roberts, speaks with students during lunch at North High School, in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., May 1, 2024. Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register/USA TODAY NETWORK via REUTERS/File photo

Overview

  • ICE says Superintendent Ian Roberts was taken into custody in a targeted operation under a May 2024 final removal order and without work authorization.
  • Agents allege he fled when approached, abandoning a vehicle before being found with a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a fixed-blade knife, with Iowa State Patrol assisting.
  • The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has been notified to investigate how he obtained the handgun, which federal law bars undocumented people from possessing.
  • Des Moines Public Schools named Associate Superintendent Matt Smith interim leader and said Roberts completed I‑9 paperwork, passed background checks, and had disclosed a prior firearm-related incident.
  • Public records showed shifting custody information, with an initial ICE listing at a western Iowa jail later removed, while local protests and statements of support added pressure for clarity on next steps.