NewsNation — Ian Roberts, the superintendent of the Des Moines Public Schools, took the unexpected step of resigning on Tuesday after being arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) amid growing scrutiny of his credentials and immigration status.
Roberts, who had been at the helm of the district for 30,000 students since 2023, stepped down after failing to meet a noon deadline to provide proof of citizenship to the school board. His attorney, Alfredo Parrish, announced his resignation in a press conference, citing concerns for the well-being of students, staff, and teachers.
On Friday, ICE agents apprehended Roberts, reportedly finding him with a loaded gun, a hunting knife, and a large sum of cash. ICE stated that Roberts entered the U.S. using a student visa in 1999 and had received a removal order in May 2024, raising numerous concerns about his background.
Digging deeper, a NewsNation investigation flagged inconsistencies in Roberts’ birthdate. While athletic competition records list his birthday as December 18, 1973, legal documents and his marriage certificate from 2017 state it as December 18, 1970.
Universities Dispute Credentials Listed by Ian Roberts
Roberts’s official biography and LinkedIn profile mention degrees from various universities, particularly Morgan State University, which unequivocally stated that he did not obtain any degree or certificate from them. St. John’s University confirmed he received a master’s degree but clarified that there is no record of a doctoral degree.
Roberts’ lawyer mentioned that he claimed to have received a doctorate from the online Trident University. However, George Washington University could not find any records of awarding him the “Washington DC Principal of the Year” recognition in 2013, despite this appearing in his biography.
Minutes from school board meetings during Robert’s previous role at Mill Creek Township, Pennsylvania, revealed that officials raised doubts about his qualifications when he was hired in 2020, emphasizing that he lacked the educational certificate from the institutions where he supposedly earned his doctorate.
This resignation coincides with the ongoing investigation by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, probing allegations of race-based discrimination in hiring at Des Moines Public Schools, which could be breaching federal laws.
Parrish indicated that his law firm has filed a motion to pause the proceedings regarding Roberts’ deportation and plans to formally request the reopening of his immigration case. He produced a letter dated March 27, 2025, from Roberts’ earlier immigration attorney stating that his immigration matter reached a “successful resolution.”
Initially, Jackie Norris, the School Board Chair, called for “radical empathy” in response to the news about Roberts’ arrest. When asked about the board’s due diligence in hiring him, she stated that the officials acted based on the information they received and found no red flags regarding his citizenship at the time.
Roberts, a native of Guyana and a former Olympic athlete, had been registered as a voter in Maryland with a birth year of 1970, maintaining an active registration even during his absence from the state.
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