Des Moines Public Schools placed Superintendent Ian Roberts on administrative leave Saturday following his detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a day earlier.
Board President Jackie Norris said the district had “no confirmed information” about why Roberts was detained and that Associate Superintendent Matt Smith would serve as interim superintendent, according to a statement posted on X on Friday. The district added it had not been informed of “next potential steps” by immigration authorities.
ICE said Roberts was detained because he was in the country without legal status, lacked authorization to work, and was subject to a final removal order issued by an immigration judge in May 2024. According to the agency, ICE officers stopped Roberts while he was driving a school-issued vehicle; he then fled into a wooded area and was apprehended with help from Iowa State Patrol officers.
In a detailed update Friday evening, the district said its board retained JG Consulting for the superintendent search and that a third-party background review by Baker-Eubanks was conducted. The district said Roberts completed the federal I-9 employment form and provided documents as required. He was licensed by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners in July 2023 and has held education leadership roles in multiple states for more than two decades, according to the district. DMPS said it has not been formally notified by ICE about the case and has not spoken with Roberts since his detention.
The district also addressed reports that a loaded gun was found in a district vehicle assigned to Roberts. DMPS policy prohibits weapons on school property or at school-related activities. The district said Roberts previously disclosed a firearm case involving a hunting rifle during the hiring process and offered context that allowed the process to move forward.
Norris said Saturday the board learned from ICE that a final removal order was issued in May 2024 and that the district was not aware of it. She emphasized the district’s requirement to verify employment eligibility and said records indicated Roberts affirmed he was a U.S. citizen eligible to work. The state education department issued Roberts a superintendent license in 2023 after an FBI background check, according to the district.
Norris outlined the 2023 hiring timeline: the board approved a contract with JG Consulting in December 2022; candidate recruitment and qualifications were set through March 2023; interviews were held April 11–13; and Roberts’ contract was approved May 16, with a July 1 start. She said the search firm was obligated to disclose known positive or negative information and that the background check found nothing related to citizenship or immigration.
The board met in a special session at 5 p.m. Saturday and voted to place Roberts on administrative leave. Norris said DMPS is cooperating with requests from Iowa authorities and urged the community to “cool down the rhetoric,” adding that the district’s focus remains on supporting students and staff as classes resume Monday.
Smith previously served as interim superintendent during the 2022–23 school year. The district said it will provide further updates as confirmed information becomes available.
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