Des Moines, Iowa – The superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, Thomas Roberts, was arrested Friday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), sending shockwaves through the state’s largest school district and sparking fear within the local immigrant community. The arrest raises questions about the future leadership of the district, which serves over 33,000 students, and has prompted swift support for Roberts from community organizations.
The circumstances surrounding roberts’ arrest remain largely unclear, but the incident comes at a sensitive time for immigrant families in Polk County, who fear increased scrutiny and potential separation from their children. The Iowa movement for Migrant Justice expressed that families are now afraid to send their children to school, anticipating potential ICE intervention. The Des Moines School board has scheduled a closed-door meeting Saturday to address the arrest and its implications for the district.
Roberts is a member of the Board of the Director Council, a non-profit group serving the Black community of Des Moines, which has publicly voiced its “full support” for him. The Council stated Roberts “has been a trusted partner, a dedicated defender of equity and firm support for the families and young people of Polk County,” adding that his contributions are “immeasurable.”
Elizabeth Balcarcel, speaking in a video statement from the Iowa movement for migrant Justice, highlighted the anxiety within the community: “We know in advance that our families are afraid that if thay are going to pick up their children, if they send them to school, if migratory agents are going to get their children out of school… There are many questions, many doubts.”
