News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Sept. 26, 2025: The arrest of Guyanese immigrant Dr. Ian Andre Roberts, the Des Moines Superintendent of its public schools in Iowa, has sent shockwaves through Iowa’s largest school district — and among the Guyanese immigrant community in the U.S.

ICE arrests Guyanese national serving as Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent. (US ICE Image)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed today that Roberts, a Guyana-born educator who has worked in American school systems for two decades, was taken into custody today, September 26th, after a “targeted enforcement operation.” The agency alleges Roberts remained in the country despite having a final order of removal issued in May 2024 and lacked work authorization. He is being held at the Woodbury County Jail in Iowa.

Dramatic Detention

ICE says its officers attempted to approach Roberts as he sat in his vehicle. The superintendent allegedly fled, abandoning his car before police located and arrested him. ICE reported that Roberts was carrying a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and $3,000 in cash at the time of his detention.

The discovery raises questions about Roberts’ personal safety concerns and his state of mind leading up to the arrest. In a press release, ICE stated Roberts had prior weapon possession charges dating back to February 2020. “This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement,” said ICE ERO St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson. “This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats. How this illegal alien was hired without work authorization, a final order of removal, and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district.”

A Respected Educator

The arrest is particularly jarring for the Des Moines community, where Roberts has been credited with driving innovative reforms since joining the district in July 2023. School board chair Jackie Norris expressed shock at a Friday press conference, saying the board only learned of the immigration enforcement action hours earlier. “There is much we do not know,” Norris said. “However, what we do know is that Dr. Roberts has been an integral part of our school community since he joined over two years ago. He has advocated for students and staff and helped us reimagine education for future generations.”

Roberts, a former special education teacher, earned advanced degrees including a doctorate focused on inclusion for special needs students. He also consulted on leadership development and has been described by colleagues as deeply committed to student success.

Impact On Guyanese Immigrants

Roberts’ detention has rippled beyond Iowa, resonating strongly with the Guyanese diaspora — one of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in the U.S. According to the Migration Policy Institute, more than 300,000 Guyanese immigrants live in the United States, with concentrations in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Texas. Many are lawful permanent residents or naturalized citizens, but cases like Roberts’ highlight the precarious status of those with unresolved immigration issues.

Advocacy groups worry the arrest could heighten fear among Caribbean immigrants, especially those with pending asylum cases, TPS renewals, or old removal orders.

Legal Questions Ahead

ICE has not disclosed whether Roberts will face federal prosecution for fleeing officers or for the weapons found in his possession. His legal team is expected to challenge his detention and seek a stay of removal, which could delay deportation proceedings while the courts review his case.

For now, the Des Moines school district faces uncertainty about its leadership. Board officials have said they are developing contingency plans to ensure continuity of operations while awaiting more information.

A Community in Limbo

Whether Roberts will be allowed to remain in the U.S. or be forced to return to Guyana remains unclear. What is clear is that his detention has sparked a conversation far beyond Des Moines — about belonging, due process, and the contributions of Caribbean immigrants to American life.

News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Tues. Sept. 23, 2025: As Caribbean leaders gather at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, (UNGA), the United States Donald Trump administration has added yet another warship in the region, bringing the number of U.S. Naval surface vessels in the region to eight.

The US Navy’s USS Stockdale, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, docked at the Frigate Captain Noel Antonio Rodriguez Justavino Naval Base, near entrance to the Panama Canal in Panama City, Panama, on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. Last week, US President Donald Trump said the US military had knocked off a third drug boat from Venezuela, despite the Pentagon so far only detailing two such strikes. Photographer: Enea Lebrun/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG-106) is now operating in Caribbean waters, U.S. Navy sources confirmed to USNI News, after a port stop in Panama over the weekend. The destroyer joins USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) and USS Gravely (DDG-107), forming a powerful destroyer presence in the area.

The Navy’s buildup in the Caribbean currently includes:

Three guided-missile destroyers – Stockdale, Jason Dunham, and Gravely

USS Lake Erie (CG-70), a guided-missile cruiser

USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS-21), a Littoral Combat Ship

The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which includes USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28), and USS San Antonio (LPD-17)

Earlier reports also noted the presence of at least one U.S. nuclear attack submarine in the region, though the Pentagon has not confirmed its current location.

The amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima was spotted near Guayama, Puerto Rico last Thursday, where it was conducting exercises as part of its deployment.

Part of a Wider Strategy

This show of force is part of what the Trump administration calls its “revamped approach” to countering transnational drug trafficking. Traditionally, maritime counter-narcotics enforcement is the responsibility of the U.S. Coast Guard, which regularly partners with the Navy to interdict shipments.

According to the Coast Guard, its teams have seized over 75,000 pounds of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific since launching Operation Pacific Viper on August 8th. Navy ships operating in the Caribbean often embark Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachments, (LEDETs) to board and search suspicious vessels.

U.S. Northern Command has been tasked with coordinating these operations, which now feature a much heavier Navy presence than in previous years. Analysts say the deployment of destroyers, cruisers, and amphibious ships sends a signal that Washington is willing to escalate its interdiction efforts beyond traditional Coast Guard operations.

Strikes on Suspected Smuggling Vessels

In a more aggressive turn, the Pentagon has confirmed that U.S. forces have carried out at least three lethal strikes in recent weeks on boats suspected of being linked to Venezuelan cartel operations, leading to some 14 people being killed. Few details have been released about the strikes, and Pentagon spokespersons have frequently referred press inquiries to the White House.

President Trump personally announced the most recent strike via a post on Truth Social, calling it part of his administration’s effort to “end the flow of poison into America.”

Questions Raised About Legal Authority

The heightened U.S. military presence and targeted strikes have raised questions in Congress and among international law experts about whether these actions fall within accepted norms. While the administration frames the effort as part of its border security policy, critics have argued that such strikes may constitute acts of war and could set a precedent for expanded military engagement in the Caribbean.

Still, the administration appears determined to maintain pressure.

With eight surface ships now operating in the region, the Caribbean has become one of the most militarized zones in the Western Hemisphere — a development that regional observers warn could inflame tensions with neighbors such as Venezuela and Cuba.

Meanwhile, at the UN, Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday called for a criminal investigation into the three strikes ordered by President Trump on ships allegedly transporting narcotics in the Caribbean.

“Criminal proceedings must be opened against those officials, who are from the U.S., even if it includes the highest-ranking official who gave the order: President Trump,” Petro said during his speech before the U.N. General Assembly.

This as Venezuela deployed over 2,500 troops and Russian-made fighter jets to La Orchila for military exercises, escalating tensions after Trump announced further US attacks on Venezuelan vessels. Venezuela deployed more than 2,500 troops to the Caribbean island of La Orchila for military exercises featuring Russian-made fighter jets armed with anti-ship missiles, escalating tensions after President Donald Trump announced US attacks on three Venezuelan vessels.

Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said the “Caribe Soberano 200” manoeuvres involve 12 ships, 22 aircraft and around 20 vessels conducting amphibious landings and air operations. State television broadcast images of the exercises, which began in response to US warship deployments in the region.

Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro said Tuesday he is considering declaring a national state of emergency, citing what he called growing “aggressions and threats” from the United States amid an expanded U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean.