Records indicate that illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds were registered as Democratic voters before being detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE).
Ian Andre Roberts, a Guyanese national residing illegally in the U.S., was apprehended on Friday while armed with a loaded handgun and thousands of dollars in cash. There are instances where illegal immigrants have held roles as school supervisors and have been linked to Maryland’s voter registration through previous traffic violations.
Roberts registered as a Democrat in 2017, as per the Maryland Election Commission website. The personal details listed on the site correspond precisely to a speeding ticket he received in July 2024 from an Iowa State Patrol Officer, uncovered by the Daily Call News Foundation.
It’s unclear how Roberts, who has overstayed his student visa for many years, managed to get registered to vote. A representative from the state Election Commission did not respond to inquiries from the DCNF.
In a statement from the Maryland Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative lawmakers, it was noted, “Ian Andre Roberts has overstayed student visas for over two decades yet remains an active voter registered in Maryland. This raises significant concerns about vulnerabilities in both our immigration enforcement and election integrity.”
They added a demand for clarity regarding how Roberts, an individual living and voting in the state without being flagged, could happen.
According to ICE, Roberts entered the U.S. on a student visa in 1999 and received a removal order from an immigration judge in May 2024. There have been ongoing possession charges against him since February 2020.
When ICE officers attempted to approach Roberts in Iowa, he fled, leading to the discovery of his abandoned vehicle in a wooded area. He was later captured with a loaded handgun and a hunting knife, along with $3,000 in cash.
Law enforcement is puzzled about how Roberts, an illegal immigrant with weapon charges, was able to work as a supervisor in a public school system.
Sam Olson, director of the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations St. Paul Field Office, expressed bewilderment over the situation, stating, “The suspect was armed while in a vehicle associated with Des Moines Public Schools after evading federal law enforcement. It’s concerning how this individual was employed without a job permit and in light of his legal issues.”
A request for comments from Des Moines Public Schools went unanswered by the DCNF.
In the midst of the Trump administration’s focus on election integrity, Roberts’ case sheds light on concerns regarding voter registration. In September, the Department of Justice initiated lawsuits against six states for failing to comply with requests for voter registration data. It has also pursued similar actions in Maine, California, and Oregon but recently dropped its case against the North Carolina Commission after being satisfied with their progress to clean up the voter rolls.
In May, a new feature by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services was introduced, allowing officials to verify citizenship through Social Security numbers, aiming to prevent non-citizens from voting.
As Maryland representative Robin Grammer pointed out, “Democrats claim that illegal aliens do not vote; however, we see a system in place that facilitates it, and there’s data supporting this occurrence that they seem to want to obscure.”
