The Des Moines school board is expected to vote later today to place Ian Roberts on unpaid leave after receiving notification that the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked Roberts’ superintendent’s license.

In a letter dated on Sunday, Roberts was notified by Michael Cavin, executive director of the educational examiners, that Roberts’ superintendent’s license “is no longer valid and your authority to serve as superintendent is revoked.”

Roberts, 54, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Friday morning during what federal officials described as a “targeted enforcement operation.”

When Roberts was approached by immigration officials, he “sped away,” a news release issued by ICE said. Roberts’ vehicle was later found in a wooded area on Des Moines’ south side.

At the time of his arrest, Roberts was in possession of a loaded handgun, a fixed blade hunting knife and $3,000 in cash, the release said. The vehicle Roberts was driving was provided by the school district, the release said.

Roberts, who is being represented by the Parrish Kruidenier Law Firm, is being held in Woodbury County Jail.

On Saturday, the Des Moines school board voted to place Roberts on paid administrative leave. The action by the state educational examiners board over the weekend is prompting another special meeting by the Des Moines board at 4:45 p.m. today.

Roberts is accused of being in the United States illegally and not complying with an order of removal issued in May 2024.

Several background checks were done on Roberts before he was hired as Des Moines’ superintendent in July 2023, Des Moines school officials have said.

The board selected JG Consulting in December 2022 to coordinate the selection of a new superintendent. The firm, based in Georgetown, Texas, was among 11 that applied to work on the search. According to the district, Baker-Eubanks conducted a comprehensive background search on Roberts. The firm is headquartered in Chicago.

The background checks included criminal and credit checks, Jackie Norris, board chair, said on Saturday. Baker-Eubanks “found nothing related to citizenship or immigration matters related to Dr. Roberts,” Norris said.

A background check was also done by the educational examiners before Roberts was issued the superintendent’s license, said Norris, who also is a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate.

Norris also said the district is required to verify employment eligibility of all employees.

“In this case, Dr. Roberts completed the I-9 employment eligibility verification form and submitted the required documentation,” Norris said. “Everything the district has on file indicates Dr. Robert affirmed that he was a citizen who was eligible to work for the school district.”

Roberts entered the U.S. in 1999 on a student visa, according to the ICE release.

Roberts, in interviews after being hired by the school district, has said that his parents are immigrants from Guyana, a country on the northeastern coast of South America. That information is also included on the district’s website in Roberts’ biographical information.

Roberts has said he grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. and attended college in the U.S. He was a 2000 Olympian in track and field, representing Guyana and has held several positions in education in the U.S.  

Roberts has existing weapons possession charges from February 2020, the ICE release said. The investigation into how Roberts acquired the handgun has been turned over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The district, in a release late Friday afternoon, said that “weapons are prohibited on school grounds or at a school-sponsored or school-related activity.”

The school board approved a three-year extension of Roberts’ contract in June 2024. Roberts’ annual base salary is $279,450. He also receives a tax-sheltered annuity valued at nearly $42,000 annually.  

On Friday, the district announced that Matt Smith had assumed the role of interim superintendent. Smith previously served as interim superintendent during the 2022-23 school year.