A diagnosis can only be made after someone dies. We’re following developments in Iowa, where the Des Moines Public Schools superintendent has been detained by federal immigration officials. What do we know about the superintendent? What are officials saying about his arrest? This is certainly a blow that Des Moines is still trying to recover from. And we’ve seen that. >> Iowa officials, Des Moines City Schools officials actually invoked what they heard about Dr. Robertson’s sympathy, trying to withhold judgment.
And they said they’re still, well, new information has come to light, that they’re still reserving judgment until they’re able to independently verify what we’ve heard from law enforcement officials. They say they arrested Dr. Ian Roberts, who has been the superintendent of Des Moines schools since 2003, in a targeted operation this morning and tried to stop him in his school vehicle. He fled from law enforcement at that time. Later, they found an abandoned vehicle and a loaded pistol inside. They said it also contained cash and other items they are examining as part of their investigation.
This is shocking to people here because he was a beloved teacher. He became the superintendent of Des Moines schools in 2003. He is from Guyana. He came here legally on a student visa in 1999, but he stayed after his visa expired, making his status no longer legal. Furthermore, he had previously been charged with gun possession, which law enforcement cited. This is because it is illegal for someone without legal status to possess any kind of weapon in the United States. That’s why he was arrested and is facing deportation.