Ian Andre Roberts, the superintendent of the Des Moines Public Schools in Iowa, who was arrested by ICE, is a registered active Democrat voter in the state of Maryland.According to the official website for the Maryland State Board of Elections, Roberts, who overstayed a student visa from 1999, held an active voter status and was registered as a Democrat in Maryland, Fox News reported. The development was first reported by columnist Dustin Grage. Republican state Delegate Matt Morgan, chair of the Maryland House Freedom Caucus, told Fox News Digital that Roberts’ registration meant he was eligible to vote in all federal, state and local elections despite not being a U.S. citizen and likely not having lived in Maryland for the past decade. Morgan explained that there was nothing in Maryland law allowing non-citizens to be registered to vote in federal or state elections, even if Roberts were still a legal resident.Read more: Who is Ian Roberts? Iowa’s largest school district superintendent arrested by ICE for living and working in US illegallyThe House Freedom Caucus is now demanding answers from the Maryland State Board of Elections about “gaping holes” in the state’s election integrity systems. In a letter sent to the elections board on Monday, the Freedom Caucus also demanded answers on why the board had been “obstructing a valid request by the Department of Justice to ensure compliance with federal election laws,” citing immigration enforcement as a primary concern. Morgan referred to a letter the elections board sent to the Justice Department in August in which State Administrator of Elections Jared DeMarinis expressed concern that if the board provided voter information to the federal government, the data would be “used for enforcement of immigration laws against Maryland residents.” Commenting on the letter, Morgan asked, “If illegal aliens are not allowed to vote, why would they be on the voter rolls in the first place? And how would that enhance immigration enforcement? I don’t know, but that’s the excuse that they wrote to the DOJ.” “It’s ridiculous,” he continued, adding that “everyone reasonable wants a safe and secure election.” Before his arrest by ICE, Roberts headed the Des Moines Public Schools, the largest school district in the state, despite not being legally authorised to work in the U.S. after his employment authorisation card expired in 2020, according to authorities. He was taken into custody on a fugitive warrant last week. ICE agents arrested Roberts after he attempted to flee and was found hiding in brush. The vehicle Roberts was driving was found with $3,000 in cash, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and a loaded Glock 19 firearm, ICE said. Roberts also had illegal weapons possession charges from 2020 and was given a final order of removal in 2024. The state of Iowa revoked Roberts’ education licence on Sunday, triggering the Des Moines School Board to place him on unpaid leave. “We were notified that the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked Doctor Roberts’ licence to practise as a superintendent in the state of Iowa. Without such a licence, Doctor Roberts is not in compliance with his contract,” said Jackie Norris, chair of the school board. Morgan said that although Roberts’ case was baffling, he feared Roberts might just be the tip of the iceberg regarding illegal aliens registered to vote in Maryland. “We have no idea how widespread this is. We hear rumours, but we have no idea,” he said. “This is uncharted territory,” he added.
