Ian Roberts, an undocumented immigrant from Guyana who served as superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools in Iowa, was arrested by ICE last week after being identified as a registered Democrat voter in Maryland. The revelation has sparked outrage over the individual’s eligibility to participate in elections despite lacking U.S. citizenship.

Roberts, who overstayed a student visa in 1999, received mail-in ballots for federal and state elections since 2020, including during what was deemed the most secure election cycle in recent history. Authorities discovered he had a criminal record involving weapons charges and was armed with a Glock and a knife when apprehended.

Maryland’s State Board of Elections confirmed Roberts’ active voter registration as a Democrat, despite his status as an undocumented individual. Republican state Delegate Matt Morgan, chair of the Maryland House Freedom Caucus, criticized the situation, stating that non-citizens are prohibited from voting under state law. He questioned how Roberts remained on the rolls and accused election officials of obstructing federal compliance efforts by citing immigration enforcement concerns.

The incident has intensified calls to address election integrity flaws and deport undocumented individuals holding positions of authority.