The left’s latest immigration martyr, former Des Moines superintendent Ian Roberts, has been lauded as a hero — but, just like many left-wing figures before him, Roberts isn’t exactly the man he was portrayed to be.
Several dozen students recently gathered at the state capitol calling for Roberts’ release from the Sioux City jail, where he is currently being held. Supporters held signs reading “Radical empathy,” a tagline Roberts reportedly used frequently. A group of his supporters even hung a banner from a bridge above the interstate that read, “Free Dr. Roberts,” while passing cars honked in support.
Roberts, a native of Guyana with an existing weapons charge from 2020, is now facing deportation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“Innocent man, never did a thing wrong,” BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere said sarcastically. “Just the tyranny of the Trump administration is what you should take from this… This is the poster boy of the left. If his story falls apart, then maybe the whole immigration case falls apart.”
Stu Burguiere shed light on Roberts’ background, stating, “This is a little bit you need to know about our Dr. Ian Roberts, the poster boy of immigration for the left. Ian Roberts, who immigration authorities say was living and working in the U.S. illegally, claimed in his 2023 application that he received a doctorate in urban educational leadership from Morgan State University in 2007, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press through a public records request.”
“Although Roberts was enrolled in that doctorate program from 2002 to 2007, the school’s public relations office confirmed via email that he did not receive that degree,” Burguiere continued.
Roberts also listed the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management among the institutions where he claimed to have studied, but a university spokesperson confirmed there are no records of his attendance.
The controversies don’t end there.
Melody Ellington, director of human resources for the Millcreek Township School District, claimed she faced unspecified unlawful treatment while working under Roberts from July 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022. According to a settlement agreement, Ellington alleged that she was unfairly pushed out of her job and had “threatened litigation,” although district administrators denied any wrongdoing. The district later agreed to pay her $250,000.
The situation escalated further when Roberts was approached by ICE agents in late September. Instead of cooperating, he sped away in his vehicle.
“Now, that’s not the normal behavior of a person who’s the superintendent of a large city’s school district, but okay,” Burguiere noted, adding that Roberts’ car was later found abandoned.
“Again, you don’t typically speed away from cops and abandon your vehicle, not normally,” he added.
Want more from Stu?
To enjoy more of Stu Burguiere’s sharp wit and commentary, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
https://www.theblaze.com/shows/stu-does-america/the-lefts-immigration-hero-exposed-ian-roberts-false-credentials-unravel
