Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested the Des Moines Public Schools superintendent after it turned out that he was an illegal immigrant with a rap sheet, the agency announced Friday.

Ian Andre Roberts, of Guyana, had a deportation order from May 2024 and weapons charges from February 5, 2020, when ICE finally nabbed him, according to ICE.

NEW: ICE just arrested the superintendent of Des Moines public schools, who turns out is a criminal illegal immigrant from Guyana with a deportation order.

Ian Andre Roberts was found with a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash and a fixed blade hunting knife after trying to run from… pic.twitter.com/typVZ7x4jU

— Jennie Taer 🎗️ (@JennieSTaer) September 26, 2025

Initially, Roberts tried to flee and sped away as officers identified themselves, ICE said. Authorities later found his car abandoned in the woods nearby and were able to track him down with the help of the State Patrol.

The officers found that Roberts had a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a fixed-blade hunting knife.

ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson called out the system that allowed Roberts to gain employment in the U.S. in a statement on Friday.

Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout! 

“This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats. How this illegal alien was hired without work authorization, a final order of removal, and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district,” Olson said.

Investigators are also probing how Roberts was able to acquire a handgun since illegal immigrants are prohibited from obtaining firearms.

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

In a previous interview reflecting on his first year as superintendent, Roberts stated that it was important to be “culturally responsive” in the classroom, promoted left-wing “SEL curriculum” in the classroom, and emphasized the need for safe spaces.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli responded to a law passed in California that seeks to ban federal law enforcement agents — specifically Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents — from wearing masks that cover their faces while they are working in California.

Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), earlier in the week, touted his “first in the nation” law that he said would force ICE agents to “unmask” despite the exponential increase in threats and attacks on ICE agents in recent months.

“Enough! ICE, unmask! What are you afraid of?” Newsom asked at a press conference. “What are you afraid of?”

Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout!

The Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security begged to differ, saying in a statement on Monday that ICE agents would not be complying with Newsom’s law and citing the increased risks of threats against them and their families.

“To be clear: We will NOT comply with Gavin Newsom’s unconstitutional mask ban. At a time that ICE law enforcement faces a 1,000% increase in assaults and their family members are being doxxed and targeted, the sitting Governor of California signed unconstitutional legislation that strips law enforcement of protections in a disgusting, diabolical fundraising and PR stunt,” she said.

To be clear: We will NOT comply with Gavin Newsom’s unconstitutional mask ban.

At a time that ICE law enforcement faces a 1,000% increase in assaults and their family members are being doxxed and targeted, the sitting Governor of California signed unconstitutional legislation… pic.twitter.com/8Me4OOP8t8

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 22, 2025

Essayli followed on Friday with a letter — addressed to federal law enforcement heads in the Central District of California — in which he stated that Newsom, as governor of California, did not have the authority to direct the actions of federal law enforcement agents, even if they were operating within his state.

Governor Newsom is confused about his role under the U.S. Constitution. He oversees California, not federal agencies. He should review the Supremacy Clause.

California’s law to “unmask” federal agents is unconstitutional, as the state lacks jurisdiction to interfere with federal… pic.twitter.com/9ZWlFRxHMi

— Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) September 26, 2025

“Governor Newsom is confused about his role under the U.S. Constitution. He oversees California, not federal agencies. He should review the Supremacy Clause. California’s law to ‘unmask’ federal agents is unconstitutional, as the state lacks jurisdiction to interfere with federal law enforcement. I have directed federal agencies to disregard this state law and adhere to federal law and agency policies,” Essayli said.