Representative Andy Biggs is pushing new legislation that would publicly list individuals with deportation orders, following a controversial case in Iowa's largest school district.
"A criminal, illegal alien with a final deportation order was working as the superintendent of Iowa's largest school district. That's unacceptable," Biggs wrote on X.
In September 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Ian Andre Roberts, who was working as Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools despite having a final deportation order and no work authorization.
Roberts, originally from Guyana, entered the United States on a student visa in 1999. An immigration judge issued his final removal order in May 2024.
During a targeted enforcement operation on September 26, ICE officers approached Roberts in his school district vehicle. He fled the scene, abandoning the car near a wooded area, before the State Patrol assisted in his apprehension.
Officers found him in possession of a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a fixed-blade hunting knife. Roberts also had existing weapon possession charges from February 2020.
Federal law prohibits individuals without legal status from possessing firearms and ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating how Roberts obtained the weapon. Roberts remains in U.S. Marshals custody awaiting prosecution on the charges from his arrest.
Proposed Legislation
In response, Biggs introduced the Deportation Disclosure Act, which would require the Department of Homeland Security to publish on its website information about individuals with final deportation orders.
The bill would make public the names, photographs, known aliases, and last-known state of residence of anyone receiving a final removal order after the law's enactment.
"I've introduced legislation requiring DHS to publicize all final deportation orders so this never happens again," Biggs stated.
The bill has been referred to a committee for consideration. If passed, it would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to create a searchable public database of deportation orders.
