The superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools resigned on Tuesday following his detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and increasing scrutiny over his credentials and immigration standing.
Ian Roberts, who had been in charge of the 30,000-student district since 2023, stepped down after failing to meet a noon cut-off to present his citizenship papers to the school board. His lawyer, Alfredo Parrish, announced the resignation during a Tuesday press conference, citing Roberts’ concern for the well-being of students, staff, and educators as his reason for leaving.
ICE agents apprehended Roberts on Friday, claiming he had a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and a large sum of cash on him. ICE reported that Roberts initially entered the U.S. on a student visa in 1999 and was issued a removal order in May 2024.
The case has raised numerous questions about Roberts’ background.
An investigation uncovered inconsistencies in his birthdate on different records. Athletic competition records note December 18, 1973, whereas court documents and his marriage certificate from 2017 list December 18, 1970.
Roberts’ academic credentials also appear inconsistent.
Universities deny credentials listed on Ian Roberts’ official biography
Roberts’ LinkedIn profile and official biography claim he holds degrees from several institutions, including Morgan State University. However, Morgan State confirmed Roberts has “not received any degree or certificate” from them. While St. John’s University verified he obtained a master’s degree, they denied awarding a doctorate.
According to his attorney, Roberts earned a doctorate from Trident University, an online school. Furthermore, George Washington University could not find any record of bestowing upon Roberts the 2013 “Washington DC Principal of the Year” title, contradicting the claim in his official biography.
School board minutes from Roberts’ previous position at Mill Creek Township in Pennsylvania show officials questioned his credentials during the 2020 hiring process, noting he “lacked the educational certificate from his educational facilities that he obtained his doctorate.”
The resignation comes as the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division investigates alleged race-based discrimination in hiring practices at Des Moines Public Schools, which federal officials say violates federal law.
Parrish said his firm filed a motion to stay proceedings in Roberts’ deportation case and plans to file a motion to reopen his immigration case. He presented a letter dated March 27, 2025, from Roberts’ previous immigration attorney stating his case had reached “a successful resolution.”
School Board Chair Jackie Norris initially called for “radical empathy” when news of Roberts’ arrest broke. When asked about the board’s responsibility in his hiring, Norris said officials operated on the information provided and saw nothing suggesting questions about his citizenship.
Roberts, a native of Guyana and former Olympic athlete, had been registered to vote in Maryland with a 1970 birth date. That registration remained active despite his years away from the state.
