{"id":2513235,"date":"2025-11-21T14:28:01","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T19:28:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watchdogs-seek-unredacted-maryland-voter-file-for-man-arrested-by-ice\/"},"modified":"2025-11-21T14:31:37","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T19:31:37","slug":"watchdogs-seek-unredacted-maryland-voter-file-for-man-arrested-by-ice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watchdogs-seek-unredacted-maryland-voter-file-for-man-arrested-by-ice\/","title":{"rendered":"Watchdogs seek unredacted Maryland voter file for man arrested by ICE"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwatchdogs-seek-unredacted-maryland-voter-file-for-man-arrested-by-ice%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2513235&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A pair of watchdog groups, the American Accountability Foundation (AAF) and Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE), are demanding that Maryland election officials release the full, unredacted voter registration submission of Ian Andre Roberts, a former Iowa school superintendent arrested by ICE for being an illegal immigrant possessing weapons. Prince George&#8217;s County had previously provided a redacted version, removing key information such as whether Roberts claimed U.S. citizenship when registering to vote.<\/p>\n<p>Roberts, a 54-year-old guyanese national under a final removal order as May 2024, was arrested in September in Des Moines after fleeing officers and found with a loaded gun, a hunting knife, and cash. His history includes decades of criminal offenses, multiple denied immigration applications, and background checks that failed to detect his illegal status despite him holding senior educational roles in Maryland and Iowa.<\/p>\n<p>The watchdog groups argue Maryland&#8217;s refusal to disclose full registration details violates the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), wich requires states to provide completed voter registration applications. Roberts had been registered to vote in Maryland as 2011, even though there is no evidence he voted.<\/p>\n<p>The groups have given the county a December 1 deadline to comply or face legal action.They accuse Maryland officials, including county election authorities and Governor Wes Moore, of politically motivated obstruction and failing to uphold election integrity safeguards.County officials have deferred inquiries to the Maryland State Board of Elections, which is reviewing the request. Roberts remains in federal custody and faces prosecution related to firearms charges and ongoing removal proceedings.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Watchdogs seek unredacted Maryland records for ex-Des Moines superintendent arrested by ICE<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2363894\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A pair of watchdog groups is demanding that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maryland\/\">Maryland<\/a> election officials release an unredacted voter registration application for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3829504\/how-an-illegal-immigrant-landed-a-iowa-school-superintendent-job\/\">Ian Andre Roberts<\/a>, the former <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/iowa\/\">Iowa<\/a> school superintendent arrested in September as an illegal immigrant in possession of weapons, after Prince George&rsquo;s County concealed key eligibility information, including whether he claimed to be a U.S. citizen when he registered to vote.<\/p>\n<p>The American Accountability Foundation and Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Restoring_USA\/status\/1991223723941326991\">filed a National Voter Registration Act request<\/a> this week, insisting that the county release Roberts&rsquo;s complete voter registration file. The groups said the county violated federal law last month when it redacted his responses to multiple eligibility questions, including the one asking if he is a U.S. citizen, before providing the documents to AAF.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3895044\/democratic-campaigns-provide-financial-lifeline-chinese-influence-operation\/\">Democratic campaigns provide financial lifeline to Chinese influence operation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3894383\/attorney-zizian-ringleader-doj-misgendering-client\/\">Attorney for &lsquo;Zizian&rsquo; ringleader accuses DOJ of misgendering client<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3894402\/liberal-dark-money-giant-rebrands-to-dodge-scrutiny-observers-say\/\">Liberal dark money giant rebrands to dodge scrutiny, observers say<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">RITE and American Accountability Foundation (AAF) have submitted an NVRA request to Prince George&rsquo;s County Board of Elections for the voter-registration records of Ian Andre Roberts. <\/p>\n<p>Roberts, a Guyanese national under a final order of removal issued in May 2024, was serving as&hellip; <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/M8730sQNto\">pic.twitter.com\/M8730sQNto<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE) (@Restoring_USA) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Restoring_USA\/status\/1991223723941326991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 19, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>Roberts, a 54-year-old Guyanese national under a final removal order issued in May 2024, was arrested by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ICE\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a> on Sept. 26 in Des Moines after he allegedly fled officers, abandoned his car, and hid in thick brush. Officials said Roberts was found with a loaded handgun, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dems-passionately-protest-for-illegal-alien-school-official-who-allegedly-fled-ice-possessed-illegally-owned-pistol\/\" title=\"Dems Passionately Protest for Illegal Alien School Official Who Allegedly Fled ICE, Possessed Illegally-Owned Pistol\">fixed-blade hunting knife<\/a>, and $3,000 in cash. He was later charged with being an illegal immigrant in possession of firearms.<\/p>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-homeland-security\">Department of Homeland Security<\/a> revealed that Roberts <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3836350\/dhs-record-iowa-school-superintendent-ian-roberts-immigration\/\">has a decadeslong record of criminal conduct<\/a> dating back to the 1990s, including a 1996 narcotics arrest in New York, a 2012 reckless driving conviction in Maryland, multiple weapons charges in 2020, and a 2022 conviction in Pennsylvania for unlawfully possessing a loaded firearm. His immigration history includes four rejected green card applications, repeated visa entries, and a removal order issued last year after he failed to appear before an immigration judge.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A headshot of Ian Roberts, superintendent of the Des Moines Public School District, in February 2020. (ICE via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Despite his history, Roberts held senior education jobs in Maryland before becoming superintendent of Iowa&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-best-interests-of-children-have-often-come-dead-last-watch-mcconnell-tear-into-teachers-unions\/\" title=\"\u2018The Best Interests Of Children Have Often Come Dead Last\u2019: Watch McConnell Tear Into Teachers\u2019 Unions\">largest school district<\/a>. These positions required background checks and license reviews that somehow failed to pick up on his criminal record and lack of legal documentation.<\/p>\n<p>Records obtained by <em>Iowa Public Radio<\/em> in October <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iowapublicradio.org\/ipr-news\/2025-10-03\/fact-check-of-former-dmps-leader-ian-roberts-education-shows-discrepancies\">revealed<\/a> that Roberts said he was a U.S. citizen when applying for an Iowa administrator&rsquo;s license and answered &ldquo;no&rdquo; when asked if he had ever been convicted of a crime or was under investigation by law enforcement. He also supplied what were supposed to be college and university transcripts. Iowa officials are now reviewing which credentials Roberts claimed and which, if any, were verified by original documents.<\/p>\n<p>Against that backdrop, AAF and RITE argued that Maryland&rsquo;s refusal to disclose his citizenship answer on his voter-registration forms is not only improper but unlawful. In a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/riteusa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/NVRA-Records-Request-re-Ian-Andre-Roberts.pdf\">Nov. 20 letter<\/a> sent to acting Elections Administrator Wendy Honesty-Bey, the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >groups cited multiple federal court rulings<\/a> and Section 8 of the NVRA, arguing that states must disclose completed voter-registration applications, including eligibility responses, under the federal statute.<\/p>\n<p>While there is no evidence to show Roberts ever voted in the state, a previous investigation by AAF revealed that Roberts was registered to vote in the state since December 2011. The groups gave Prince George&rsquo;s County until Dec. 1 to turn over the full records or face litigation.<\/p>\n<p>AAF President Tom Jones told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that the county&rsquo;s redactions &ldquo;appear political&rdquo; and accused Maryland officials of shielding the information to protect Democratic leadership.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think Prince George&rsquo;s County is potentially working to obstruct access to these records for political reasons,&rdquo; Jones said. &ldquo;And I think there&rsquo;s an argument that it&rsquo;s a criminal and civil violation of the Maryland Public Information Act.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Jones said the episode &ldquo;seems like part of a broader pattern by a governor who wants to run for president, and thinks this is a way to curry favor with a progressive base when he runs for the Democratic nomination in a few years.&rdquo; Other critics agreed, including Republican state Del. Matt Morgan, who<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MattMorgan29A\/status\/1979179444242702364\"> wrote on X <\/a>last month that Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/wes-moore\/\">Wes Moore<\/a> (D-MD) and the state board of elections &ldquo;owe us an investigation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Jones <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/foxbaltimore.com\/news\/local\/watchdog-ian-roberts-maryland-voter-registration-application-red-flags\">previously told Fox 45 News<\/a> that the Roberts case proves Maryland lacks basic guardrails to prevent noncitizens from being added to the voter rolls.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There are no safeguards,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It tells us that, frankly, Governor Wes Moore and Democrats in the state of Maryland are not serious about election integrity.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In a phone call on Wednesday, a Prince George&rsquo;s County Board of Elections receptionist told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that all inquiries about Roberts were being routed to the Maryland State Board of Elections in Annapolis. The receptionist suggested it was unusual, since most questions about individual voters are handled at the county level. Jones said Honesty-Bey told him the same thing &mdash; that all Roberts-related inquiries were being forwarded to Annapolis.<\/p>\n<p>Honesty-Bey told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that her office is reviewing the watchdogs&rsquo; request with its attorney and &ldquo;will provide a response within the timeframe outlined in the complaint.&rdquo; She did not respond to questions about why Roberts-related calls were being diverted to the state or whether the county expects to comply fully with the NVRA request.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3829504\/how-an-illegal-immigrant-landed-a-iowa-school-superintendent-job\/\">HOW AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT LANDED AN IOWA SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT JOB<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Roberts remains in federal custody and is expected to face prosecution for the firearms charges in addition to removal proceedings.<\/p>\n<p>A representative for the Maryland Election Board did not respond to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>&lsquo;s requests for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Watchdogs demand full Maryland voter records for ex-superintendent arrested by ICE<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2513236,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25269735494982.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[52082,4837,67487,10378],"class_list":["post-2513235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-ice-arrest","tag-maryland","tag-voter-file","tag-watchdogs"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25269735494982.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2513235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2513235"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2513235\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2513239,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2513235\/revisions\/2513239"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2513236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2513235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2513235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2513235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}