Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested the superintendent of a major public school system living in the U.S. unlawfully and allegedly caught with weapons and thousands in cash.
On Friday, ICE agents arrested Ian Andre Roberts, a Guyanese national employed as the Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, the agency confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation. At the time of his arrest, federal immigration agents found Roberts in possession of a loaded handgun, a fixed blade hunting knife and $3,000 in cash.
“This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson said in a public statement. “This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats.”
“How this illegal alien was hired without work authorization, a final order of removal, and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district,” Olson continued.
Ian Andre Roberts. DHS Image
During an enforcement operation on Friday, immigration officers approached Roberts while he was in his vehicle, but he sped away, according to ICE. Officers subsequently discovered his vehicle abandoned in a wooded area, with the agency ultimately taking him into custody with the help of state law enforcement.
Roberts first entered the U.S. in 1999 on a student visa and was handed down a final order of removal by an immigration judge in May 2024, according to ICE. The Guyanese national also has an existing weapon possession charge from February 2020.
It’s not clear how Roberts, an illegal migrant with a criminal history, was able to find employment at a school district.
ICE, which noted that it is a violation of federal law for an illegal migrant to possess a firearm and ammunition, said an investigation into how he obtained the handgun was turned over to ATF.
Loaded handgun found in vehicle September 26, 2025. DHS image.
A public statement by Des Moines Public Schools said Roberts would be replaced with an interim leader until further notice.
“Our priority is to provide a safe, secure and outstanding education for all students and to support our students, families, and employees,” the school stated. “The appointment of [Matt Smith, Associate Superintendent] as Interim Superintendent ensures that our District continues to operate at the highest level.”
A spokesperson for the Des Moines Public Schools did not respond to a request for comment from the DCNF.
The major bust follows a large-scale immigration crackdown by the Trump administration. The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday declared that two million illegal migrants have been removed from the U.S. since President Donald Trump returned to office, including roughly 1.6 million illegal migrants who voluntarily self-deported and over 400,000 deportations.
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