In a startling development, Dr. Ian Andre Roberts, a Guyana-born educator and superintendent of Iowa’s largest public school district, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday. The 48-year-old, who has a distinguished career in education and represented Guyana in track and field at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, is accused of residing and working in the United States illegally since 1999. Roberts, who holds advanced degrees from prestigious institutions including Georgetown University and Harvard, allegedly entered the country on a student visa but failed to maintain legal status. An immigration judge issued a final removal order against him in May 2024, which ICE claims was never executed. Roberts was apprehended after reportedly evading an initial encounter with ICE agents. During his arrest, authorities discovered a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a hunting knife in his possession. Federal law prohibits undocumented individuals from owning firearms, and the case is now under investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Sam Olson, director of ICE’s St. Paul Field Office, stated that Roberts was found with the weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools. Roberts, who assumed the role of superintendent in July 2023, had disclosed a prior firearm charge during his hiring process. The school board expressed shock at his detention, claiming they were unaware of the removal order. Roberts had passed third-party background checks and submitted necessary employment documentation, raising questions about the oversight in his appointment.