SOME PROTESTERS STOOD OUTSIDE THE WOODBURY COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER IN SIOUX CITY OVER THE WEEKEND TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IAN ROBERTS.
ROBERTS IS BEING HELD HERE AFTER FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS TOOK HIM INTO CUSTODY IN DES MOINES ON FRIDAY.
HE IS A NATIVE OF GUYANA AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES SAY HE IS IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY.
ROBERTS FLED FROM AUTHORITIES FRIDAY MORNING WHEN OFFICERS APPROACHED HIS VEHICLE.
HE SPED AWAY AND ABANDONED THE VEHICLE IN A WOODED AREA.
ICE SAYS WHEN ROBERTS WAS LATER ARRESTED, HE WAS IN POSSESSION OF A LOADED HANDGUN, $3000 IN CASH AND A FIXED BLADE HUNTING KNIFE.
SATURDAY, A SIOUX CITY PROTESTER, RETIRED TEACHER JEANETTE HOPKINS, SAYS SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED:
ROBERTS1 OC…..A NATIONAL ISSUE. :12
KRIS WILLIAMS, A DEMOCRAT RUNNING FOR THE IOWA HOUSE, TRAVELED TO JOIN THE SIOUX CITY PROTEST FROM FORT DODGE:
ROBERTS2 OC……WHAT’S GOING ON? :09
BARRICADES WERE PUT IN PLACE AT THE L-E-C THIS WEEKEND TO KEEP THE PROTEST GROUP AWAY FROM THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
ARMED LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL WERE ON THE ROOF OF THE JAIL DURING THE PROTEST.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAYS ROBERTS RECEIVED A FINAL ORDER OF REMOVAL BY AN IMMIGRATION JUDGE IN MAY OF 2024 AND WAS IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY.
IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS ISSUED A WEEKEND STATEMENT REGARDING THE ARREST OF IAN ROBERTS BY IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT ON FRIDAY.
SHE SAYS “THE ARREST OF DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT IAN ROBERTS WAS SHOCKING, PARTICULARLY HIS ATTEMPT TO EVADE AUTHORITIES, AND THE LOADED GUN, KNIFE, AND LARGE SUM OF CASH FOUND IN HIS VEHICLE”.
REYNOLDS ADDED “TO BE CLEAR: WE ARE A NATION OF LAWS THAT MUST BE ENFORCED. THOSE WHO BELIEVE IMMIGRATION LAWS ARE OPTIONAL ARE DANGEROUSLY WRONG. WHEN LAWS ARE IGNORED, OR WHEN PEOPLE ARE LED TO BELIEVE THERE WILL BE NO CONSEQUENCES”.
REYNOLDS SAID ” OUR COMMUNITIES ARE AT RISK. IOWANS WON’T STAND FOR THAT. WE MUST ENFORCE THE LAW, EVERY TIME, TO PROTECT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR FUTURE.”
ON SATURDAY, THE DES MOINES SCHOOL BOARD VOTED TO PLACE SUPERINTENDENT DR. IAN ROBERTS ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE.
ROBERTS BECAME HEAD OF DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2023.
