(Des Moines, IA) — Ian Roberts has announced his resignation as the Des Moines Public School Superintendent following his recent detainment. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Roberts on Friday after authorities say he was hired while under a now work authorization in the U.S. and an illegal migrant status. State officials and lawmakers have since launched investigations into how he passed multiple background checks before being hired as DMPS Superintendent in 2023. The district’s board reportedly accepted Roberts’s resignation on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst doesn’t understand why some people in her state are fighting for the Des Moines public schools superintendent. ICE took him into custody for being an illegal immigrant with no work authorization, but Ernst says there’s more
Ernst says she can’t believe people are protesting for his release and reinstatement. Lawyers for Roberts filed a petition this week to stay his removal from the country pending the outcome of legal proceedings.
Board members claim the district was unaware of his illegal immigration status and stated that Roberts had a good relationship with the school community.
