The school supervisor in Iowa, who was recently detained by federal immigration officials, is resigning from his position leading the state’s largest school district, according to his attorney on Tuesday.
Ian Roberts submitted his resignation in a letter directed to the Des Moines Public Schools board, as reported by his attorney during a press conference. His legal team plans to file a motion regarding his immigration case later today.
“Today, we inform the School Board of Dr. Roberts’ resignation,” said attorney Alfredo Parrish. He emphasized the importance of thoroughly addressing each step of the legal process, which he says is a priority for Roberts.
Roberts, who is 54, took over as head of the Des Moines district in July 2023, which includes over 30,000 students and nearly 5,000 staff. He was apprehended last week by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a short car chase. Authorities indicated he was detained for lacking a final removal order and a work permit.
According to officials, Roberts entered the U.S. illegally from Guyana. He had arrived in New York on August 30, 1999, and most recently entered on an F-1 student visa to study at St. John’s University.
Since his employment authorization expired in 2020, he was not eligible to work legally in the country, authorities stated.
Additionally, Homeland Security noted that Roberts faced gun possession charges since February 2020 and had received a final removal order from an immigration judge in May 2024. After his detention, authorities reportedly found a handgun in his vehicle.
Parrish mentioned that Roberts had been previously advised by a Texas lawyer who told him his immigration situation was “substantially closed.”
Meanwhile, the Des Moines Board of Education voted to place Roberts on unpaid leave earlier this week. The Iowa Education Review Board suspended his teaching license as of Sunday, according to their website.
The arrest stirred significant discussion on social media, reflecting public surprise.
On Tuesday, the school board met to discuss either terminating Roberts’ contract or accepting his resignation, as shared by district communications director, Phil Roeder.
“The resignation will not be completed until the board provides its consent,” he stated.
Separately, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced it’s investigating the DMP’s hiring practices to assess whether there is discrimination against potential employees based on race, color, or national origin. Attorney General Hermate Dillon commented that diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives shouldn’t compromise federal anti-discrimination laws or educational goals.
The DOJ cited guidelines from the DMPS website, which mentions that the district aims for its educational staff to reflect the demographics of its student body. The district also has programs aimed at increasing the representation of minority educators.
During the press conference, Parrish described Roberts as a valuable asset to the community and his students. “He’s a significant person,” Parrish stated.
On the same day, Representative Zach Nun, a Republican from the Des Moines area, released an excerpt from the removal order from May 2024, highlighting that Roberts did not attend the removal hearing. Nun raised concerns over how Roberts obtained his position given his immigration status, asserting that parents should be able to trust that school leaders are properly vetted and legally authorized to work.
