Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts was arrested this week after fleeing ICE officers and abandoning a school-subsidized car with an illegal handgun inside. The case has become a flashpoint over immigration policies with protesters demanding his release and Democratic politicians denouncing his arrest as evidence of a fascist regime. Associate Superintendent Matt Smith will serve as interim superintendent and quoted Roberts as a guide on how they would move forward. He was previously superintendent in the Millcreek Township School District, which covers suburban areas outside Erie, Pennsylvania. It is unlawful to hire someone with an illegal status under immigration laws.