Former Des Moines superintendent Ian Andre Roberts who was detained by ICE federally charged (Polk County Sheriff)
The arrest of an illegal immigrant working in such a high-profile position shocked conservatives and others. Additional details surrounding his lengthy rap sheet surfaced as journalists and other investigators looked into his history. It was soon discovered that he was listed as a registered Democrat voter in Maryland, where he previously lived and that he had a conviction for reckless driving in 2012, the Department of Homeland Security reported in October.
The Maryland State Board of Elections previously said Roberts did not vote in elections.
"I'm an election law expert, not an immigration expert, but it doesn't take one to see just how … broken the system has been," Riemer told Fox Digital. "He has multiple criminal charges. He has worked in multiple school districts where, if they were doing the proper citizenship and work authorization checks, this should have been caught. It's really just unbelievable how this guy has managed to jump around the country, working in school districts where he's around children."
As concern mounted surrounding Roberts, the American Accountability Foundation filed a public records request with Prince George's County to obtain his voter registration application. The county's board of elections complied with the request, but redacted key information, sparking what could turn into a legal showdown.
"The American Accountability Foundation called the county out on it and said, '… you're not allowed to redact this information,'" Riemer said, adding that it's understandable for the county to redact information such as an individual's Social Security number or driver's license number, but not a person's gender or whether they answered in the affirmative that they are a U.S. citizen.
RITE published copies of the redacted documents, which show 18 black boxes blocking out information across just two pages' worth of documents. Riemer explained the request was made under the National Voter Registration Act – a federal law that simplified voter registration processes when an eligible individual renews their driver's license – which includes a provision allowing public access to such records.
Riemer sent a letter to the Prince George's County Board of Elections on Tuesday demanding the county turn over the records to his clients with fewer redactions as allowed by law. The election attorney, who previously served as chief counsel to the Republican National Committee, gave the county board until Dec. 1 while noting legal action could be in the future if the election board fails to comply.
LAWMAKER REVEALS HOW DES MOINES SCHOOLS CHIEF REGISTERED TO VOTE DESPITE ILLEGAL STATUS
CNN commentator Ana Navarro sparked a clash on air Monday after saying Trump's immigration agenda is a "reign of terror." (John Moore/Getty Images)
Riemer said that the case is one of many that show concern over non-citizens being on voter roles is not "political theater" as Democrats have claimed amid conservatives rallying around stronger voter integrity laws nationwide.
"We know it happens in the thousands. Oregon, for example, reported registering a couple thousand non-citizens through their DMV," he said.
Roberts was taken into the U.S. Marshals' custody following his September arrest and is set to be prosecuted, DHS said in October. The federal agency has released the suspect's lengthy history of run-ins with the law that stretch back to 1996, when he was charged with criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell in New York, a charge for third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle in Queens, New York, in 1998 that was later dropped and the 2012 conviction for reckless driving in Maryland.
More recently, Roberts faced charges in 2020 for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and other weapons charges and a 2022 conviction for unlawful possession of a loaded firearm in Pennsylvania.
Roberts is also now facing charges related to his arrest in September, which included him attempting to flee law enforcement officers, according to DHS. He was found to be in possession of $3,000 in cash, a Glock 9mm pistol and a hunting knife at the time of his arrest. Roberts was criminally charged on Oct. 2 with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms, according to DHS.
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The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked Roberts' license following his arrest and is no longer permitted to serve as a superintendent in the state.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/heavily-redacted-voting-records-school-superintendent-nabbed-ice-spark-outrage