Dr. Ian Roberts. On left, from Sept. 26, 2025 (Credit: ICEgov via X). On right, Dr. Ian Roberts while with D.C. Public Schools, posted on Aug. 20, 2012 (Credit: D.C. Public Schools via Facebook)
WASHINGTON - An Iowa school superintendent who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Friday was formerly a principal in D.C. Public Schools.
Iowa school leader detained by ICE
Local perspective:
Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts was detained by ICE on Friday morning, according to a statement posted online by the school board.
"We have no confirmed information as to why Dr. Roberts is being detained or the next potential steps," Board President Jackie Norris wrote.
ICE's website shows Roberts is in ICE custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail.
Associate Superintendent Matt Smith will serve as the interim superintendent "until further notice," the district says.
The statement continues, saying the district's priority is to provide "a safe, secure and outstanding education for all students and to support our students, families and employees. The appointment of Mr. Smith as interim superintendent ensures that our district continues to operate at the highest level."
The backstory:
In a statement to FOX 5 D.C., ICE said that Roberts was the subject of a targeted operation on Friday. According to agents, Roberts, who came to the U.S. from Guyana in 1999, was ordered to leave the country last year, and did not have authorization to work in the U.S.
ICE said that when agents tried to stop his car on Friday, he sped off. They later found the car abandoned, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety eventually helped ICE detain Roberts. Inside the car, which was provided by the school, agents found a loaded hand gun, $3,000 and a hunting knife.
Roberts was also arrested in 2020 for weapon possession, according to ICE.
Who is Dr. Ian Roberts?
Dig deeper:
Roberts has been the superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools since July 2023, previously serving as the interim superintendent during the 2022-23 school year, according to the Des Moines Register.
Before his time in Iowa, Roberts also spent four years as a principal with D.C. Public Schools from 2010 to 2014. While in D.C., he was named the George Washington University’s 2013 Washington D.C. Principal of the Year.
Roberts also competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in track and field, according to his bio.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.