FWIW Homeland Security releases info on Ian Roberts

[dalton99a]

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/10/03/dhs-releases-new-information-extensive-criminal-history-illegal-alien-ian-roberts

DHS Releases New Information on Extensive Criminal History of Illegal Alien Ian Roberts who was Working as Iowa School Superintendent
Release Date: October 3, 2025

WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released new information on criminal illegal alien Ian Andre Roberts, who was serving as Des Moines, Iowa’s school superintendent at the time of his Sept. 26 arrest.

When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials approached Roberts, he identified himself then sped off, abandoned his vehicle, and hid in a brushy area about 200 meters away, where ICE officers located him with help from Iowa State Patrol officers. At the time of arrest, a loaded handgun, hunting knife and $3,000 cash were found in his vehicle. On Oct. 2, he was charged with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms.

Roberts’ rap sheet and immigration history reveal a long record of criminal conduct in the United States. He should never have been serving in a role overseeing children in Iowa’s largest school district.

“Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with multiple weapons charges and a drug trafficking charge, should have never been able to work around children,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “When ICE officers arrested this Superintendent, he was in possession of an illegal handgun, a hunting knife, and nearly $3,000 in cash. This criminal illegal alien is now in U.S. Marshals custody and facing charges for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearms. Under Secretary Noem, ICE will continue to arrest the worst of the worst and put the safety of America’s children FIRST.”

His criminal record includes the following:

July 3, 1996: Charges for criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell, criminal possession of narcotics, criminal possession of a forgery instrument and possession of a forged instrument in New York.
Nov. 13, 1998: A charge for third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle in Queens, New York, which was dismissed July 6, 1999.
Nov. 1, 2012: A conviction for reckless driving, unsafe operation and speeding in Maryland.
Feb. 3, 2020: Charges for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (having a loaded firearm outside his home or business); third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (an ammunition feeding device); and fourth-degree weapon charges. A document from Feb. 4, 2020, indicates that the second-degree criminal possession charge was inchoate.
Jan. 20, 2022: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania convicted Roberts of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm.
Sept. 26, 2025: Roberts was arrested with a Glock 9mm pistol and a fixed-blade hunting knife in his possession. He also had $3,000 in cash.
Oct. 2, 2025: Roberts criminally charged with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms.

Roberts’ immigration history includes two visas, four Green Card applications and subsequent denials, and several trips:

June 1, 1994: Roberts entered the United States at John F. Kennedy International Airport on a B-2 nonimmigrant visa; he was classified as a visitor for pleasure. He departed the U.S. on an unknown date but returned before his 1996 arrest for narcotics possession.
March 8, 1999: He entered the U.S. through California’s San Francisco International Airport as an F-1 student visa holder. The visa was set to expire March 7, 2004. He departed the U.S. on an unknown date.
June 28, 1999: Roberts reentered the U.S. through San Francisco on the same F-1 student visa. He departed the U.S. on an unknown date.
Aug. 30, 1999: He again reentered the U.S. at JFK International Airport on the same student visa.
Feb. 9, 2000: Roberts filed an application for employment authorization, which U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved April 5, 2000, with an expiration date of April 1, 2001.
Sept. 4, 2000: He left the U.S. from JFK International Airport.
Sept. 30, 2000: Roberts entered the U.S. again at JFK International Airport on the same F-1 student visa.
May 21, 2001: He filed a green card application with USCIS, which the agency rejected Jan. 3, 2003.
May 15, 2018: Roberts filed another green card application with USCIS, which the agency again rejected on May 30 that year.
June 4, 2018: Roberts filed another green card application, which USCIS rejected for the third time June 20 that year.
July 15, 2018: He filed for employment authorization documents, which USCIS granted on Dec. 18 that year, giving the documents an expiration date of Dec. 18, 2019.
July 16, 2018: Roberts filed, for the fourth time, a green card application. USCIS denied it Jan. 24, 2020.
Nov. 18, 2019: He filed another application for employment authorization documents, which USCIS approved Dec. 3 of that year and issued an expiration date of Dec. 18, 2020.
Feb. 11, 2020: Roberts updated his address with USCIS.
Oct. 2, 2020: USCIS issued him a notice to appear before an immigration judge.
May 22, 2024: An immigration judge in Dallas, Texas, ordered Roberts removed in absentia.
April 24, 2025: An immigration judge in Dallas denied Roberts’ motion to reopen his case.
Sept. 26, 2025: ICE officials arrested Roberts in Des Moines, Iowa.

Roberts is now in U.S. Marshals custody and will be prosecuted for his recent crimes.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. I'm guessing there are holes in the system

and probably not just this system?

[MichMan]

2. Where are the posters that claimed he was framed ?

Claimed he was authorized to be here legally, and the gun in his car was planted by ICE because they wanted to take down a successful accomplished Black man. Once his lawyers showed his immigration papers, he had grounds for a big lawsuit.

They have been silent for some reason.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

3. I admit...

…I was in “wait and see” mode the first day or so, but it’s obvious the guy is a complete and total fraud.

[MichMan]

4. I wasn't referring to "wait and see" as that is the only reasonable thing to do until the facts are known.

I'm referring to those who claimed the entire thing was a complete fabrication with no justification.

[dalton99a]

7. It wasn't just his criminal record and work authorization. He lied about his citizenship, his degrees and awards

And this wasn't some low-level position in a cubicle in the back office

He was in charge of entire school districts

Trump had nothing to do with his deportation order (which was issued under Biden)

Democrats have no business supporting this con man

[bigtree]

9. the only reason he's in the news and is such an internet interest

...is because of the immigration stuff.

I don't know why people perpetuate this deliberate propaganda. There are much worse crimes in the U.S.we could be talking about, and the only political connection here is the bogus immigration 'debate' where Americans have been duped into fearing migrants for the purpose of electing republicans (and other pols who participate in it).

(guns, drugs, fraud of this one person> see>migrants are bad)

Immigration should be an administrative matter, and not a criminal opportunity for the government to abuse migrants for the entertainment of republicans; and certainly not a political matter given the way we have seen a government abuse that authority to the detriment of ALL Americans.

[bigtree]

6. egads, he had a gun

...bad, huh?

People having guns, amirite?

[pcdb]

24. Did you miss all the other stuf?

[bigtree]

25. did you miss all of the other replies?

...what part of missing or misrepresented credentials should I be concerned about as I walk about on the streets?

What actual harm did he commit to anyone in those school districts? That hasn't been established beyond the tongue clucking about his credentials.

What other thing in Noem's report should I be concerned about?

[bigtree]

5. who fucking cares about his immigration violations?

...they're listing drug charges from '96?

And egads, he had a gun.

Why is any fucking American keying in on this person?

Let him be. This doesn't affect anyone but him.

The ONLY reason anyone is talking about this is is because someone originally wanted to demonize him to demonize migrants.

Enough. People break the law everyday. Americans break the law everyday.

Most of this is someone trying to live in this country. I have a hard time getting exercised about that, and none of these crimes seem to have a victim except the government.

Seriously, what's the actual draw here?

[RandomNumbers]

8. Well it's a tad overblown of a story

The guy was here illegally, and given all the real horrors of this administration, the removal of someone who was previously ordered for removal via due process, should not be high on Democrats' list to complain about.

[MichMan]

10. You don't think a major school system hiring a superintendent with falsified resume, & criminal history is newsworthy?

There were sure a lot of threads here about it.

He was being paid $300,000 per year and in charge of educating tens of thousands of students. Why care then if teachers have educational credentials, lawyers passed the bar, or airplane pilots are certified?

[bigtree]

12. not on a political site

...the only reason it's 'newsworthy in political circles is as a misrepresentation of migrants in America to advantage the republican demonization campaign.

It's certainly news for that community, but it has nothing to do with the vast majority of Americans, isn't emblematic of any administration justification for their fascist assaults on immigrants, which is what NOEM's DHS is trying to promote here, and doesn't negate the fact that most migrants are law abiding at a rate that exceeds Americans; and isn't a political issue beyind the imflaming of Americans' already inflamed fear of migrants in America.

[MichMan]

14. Does the TOS restrict posts at DU to only those political in nature?

Where does it say that?

General Discussion

Discuss politics, issues, and current events. Posts about Israel/Palestine, religion, guns, showbiz, or sports are restricted in this forum.

Iowa: About this forum

Statement of Purpose
Where presidential campaigns go to die. Discuss all things Iowa.

[bigtree]

15. do they restrict me from expressing my opinion about what's posted?

...that's what you got.

I don't know what new debate this is supposed to be, but I'm out.

[bigtree]

13. lol

...many states are exploring alternative pathways to teacher certification, which can reduce the number of credentials required to teach.

St. John's University confirmed that Roberts earned a Master's Degree in Social Studies over the next two years.

Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland, confirmed that Roberts graduated in 1998. In a statement from the university president, Roberts was described as "a standout scholar and athlete during his undergraduate studies." Following this, St. John's University confirmed that Roberts earned a Master's Degree in Social Studies over the next two years.

https://www.kcci.com/article/ian-roberts-employment-history-education/68123481

...let them sort it out and maybe stay out of this man's and others' there's lives. This shouldn't be a political football for anyone. It's being adjudicated, and meh.

He was hired, did the job, and had a LOT of experience along the way. What am I supposed to be exercised against him here to gawk and cluck my tongue about? This affects me in no way shape or form, and I'd guess he did a lot of good along the way.

It's not as if there are scores of people lined up to do these jobs everywhere in the country, and a lot of poeple considered him able to do the job.

And I refuse to be behind some door about why this story is in the news right now.

[MichMan]

16. You still need to be licensed to teach in each state, and Iowa revoked his.

The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked Des Moines Superintendent Ian Roberts' license following his arrest by ICE officers Friday.

The Iowa Department of Education said Roberts stated he was a U.S. citizen on his application for an administrator’s license. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Roberts was given a final removal order last year.

The Iowa Department of Education said it’s a school district’s responsibility to confirm an employee is eligible to work in the U.S. Des Moines Public Schools said it’s cooperating with requests for information.

https://www.iowapublicradio.org/ipr-news/2025-09-29/des-moines-public-schools-superintendent-ian-roberts-education-license-ice-arrest-protest

[bigtree]

17. that's life.

...Interesting hw he wasn't charged with fraud.

His school history was just used in this report to inflame sentiment against him for the charges listed.

NOEM's DHS:

Roberts’ rap sheet and immigration history reveal a long record of criminal conduct in the United States. He should never have been serving in a role overseeing children in Iowa’s largest school district.

“Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with multiple weapons charges and a drug trafficking charge, should have never been able to work around children,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “When ICE officers arrested this Superintendent, he was in possession of an illegal handgun, a hunting knife, and nearly $3,000 in cash. This criminal illegal alien is now in U.S. Marshals custody and facing charges for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearms. Under Secretary Noem, ICE will continue to arrest the worst of the worst and put the safety of America’s children FIRST.”

This is dripping with the 'illegal alien' shit that's supposed to turn people against him, and is nothing but anti-migrant propaganda.

Now let's talk about the exorbitant salary of the fraud NOEM at DHS who had leaked and pushed this anti-immigrant shit so far that it's ended up here.

[MichMan]

19. If he had actually been deported a year ago when the orders were issued, I doubt it would have even been national news

Certainly, wouldn't have been much about it here

[bigtree]

20. so it's about immigration

...which is why it's in the news, why it was leaked to some conservative site and got picked up by so many news sites.

It's a deliberate hook by NOEM's DHS, advantaged by clickbait journos and people who like to bandy this stuff about immigrants in everyone's face, to make people wary of migrants; and for tiny minds to believe this man either poses a threat to Americans or represents something that can be extrapolated by the fearful to represent the rest of the migrants they're pushing out of the country as similarly threatening.

Misrepresenting credentials is more widespread among Americans, including in this administration. It appears this man not only served the school districts he worked for, he did so with some degree of expertise that's not reflected in the reports of his misrepresentations.

Moreover, it's well known that a shortage of teachers and administrators has led MANY school systems to accomodate less experienced applicants, so I'm not sure to what degree his misrepresentations affected his ability to do the jobs or his performance. Certainly, at some point, he was an experienced administrator.

The immigration crimes appear to be administrative, mixed with questionable citation of his previous charges, like the drug charge in '96 that doesn't have the resolution listed, and the dissmissed one which DHS is now considering some kind of actionable threat.

And the gun possession. Bad, huh?

I'll bet those gun possession charges are conveniently related to his immigration status. Neat.

[MichMan]

22. He had a loaded handgun in his city owned vehicle

Pretty much prohibited by every city in the country unless active law enforcement.

[bigtree]

23. still not scared

Last edited Sun Oct 5, 2025, 03:31 PM - Edit history (1)

...or concerned.

And it's still anti-immigrant clickbait in the context of today's most prominent issue and concern, which hasn't been teaching, not since the Clinton years.

And, isn't it interesting how how American gun culture fuels anti-immigrant politics, which, in turn, fuels their membership with people geared up to arm themselves against immigrants?

The NRA’s core messaging pillars

Just like a demagogue, the National Rifle Association chooses to direct its messaging efforts toward one simple constructed identity: the “American patriot,” a law-abiding citizen who loves the United States and the freedoms enshrined in the U.S. Constitution—chief among them the right to bear arms.

In keeping with the demagogue’s playbook, the American patriot is constantly threatened by two different but related enemies. One existential crisis is represented by the security threats constantly facing the American patriot. In the NRA’s crafted narrative, law-abiding citizens are preyed upon by lawless criminals who seek to commit acts of violence; a subcategory of lawless criminals are undocumented migrants or, to use the NRA’s label, “illegal immigrants,” who are undermining the safety and security of Americans throughout the nation.

Following the NRA’s logic, the only way law-abiding citizens can address these constant threats and keep themselves and their families safe is by possessing a firearm—a right enshrined in the Second Amendment. In the words of NRA President Oliver North, “The Second Amendment is the purest metaphor for freedom because if you are not free to defend yourself and your loved ones, then you are really not free at all.”

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/guns-lies-fear/

...and, the irony of it all:

Millions of immigrants across Central America have sought asylum to escape increasing gun violence at the hands of U.S.-trafficked and manufactured guns.


...and this guy wasn't so far afoul of the law (for citizens). All he lacked was a permit. It's not as if Iowa has all sorts of restrictions or even seeks to.

A valid Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons (PTCW) authorizes carrying a loaded handgun within a vehicle. This includes both concealed and open carry, allowing the firearm to be readily accessible in the passenger compartment. The permit holder is not required to keep the firearm cased, disassembled, or secured in a non-accessible manner.
https://legalclarity.org/can-i-carry-a-loaded-gun-in-my-car-in-iowa/#google_vignette

[SickOfTheOnePct]

30. Yep

Fleeing from ICE when stopped also didn't help. Nor does the fact that he's registered to vote in MD.

[bigtree]

32. jesus

...blame him for running from a terror regime (probably imagined he was back in Guyana facing masked kidnappers).

Or, for checking a box when he got his license. It was a non citizen license. Why was there an ability to register on there, and why didn't the state catch it?

[SickOfTheOnePct]

33. Maryland didn't start issuing licenses to non-citizens until 2014...

...and he registered to vote in 2012. So, t wasn't just "he checked a box".

He's had at least one, possibly two, protection orders issued against him, his wages have been garnished for years to force him to pay child support, his previous school district in PA had to pay out nearly $400,000 to settle discrimination claims against him, he lied on his I-9 paperwork, and this is the kind of person that the U.S. should try to keep here?

We'll just agree to disagree on that.

[bigtree]

35. prove it to me.

this is who made the charge:

Maryland Republican Del. Lauren Arikan claimed Roberts is currently on the voter roll, according to WJZ-TV in Baltimore.

"The Maryland Freedom Caucus looked him up in the system, and found that he had been an active voter for more than a decade, it looks like," Arikan said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/crime/general/illegal-alien-who-served-as-school-superintendent-was-registered-to-vote-and-has-extensive-criminal-record/ar-AA1NU5yY

Md. State Board of Elections sent a statement to Fox News Digital that a review of public information available through Maryland’s Public Information Act "did not show any voting history for any individual with the name Ian Andre Roberts in Maryland."

The statement further said that due to Maryland law protecting personal identifying information from disclosure, SBE "cannot and will not publicly announce whether media reports about the individual in question is or is not or was or was not a registered voter in Maryland."

Finally, SBE noted that according to Maryland law, it is not a crime to unintentionally register to vote despite not being eligible. The office added that "the right to vote is a sacred right that has been expanded through sacrifices of many before us" and "this office will not disenfranchise a voter based upon partial or unsubstantiated evidence."

...so what the fuck is this bullshit from this republican in my state all about anyway?

[SickOfTheOnePct]

36. He couldn't have...

..."unintentionally registered to vote" in 2012. He's not a stupid man - he knew non-citizens weren't permitted to register to vote.

A con man, most certainly. Stupid? Nah.

[bigtree]

37. so he 'conned' himself into a registration that he didn't ever advantage since you say 2012

Md. State Board of Elections sent a statement to Fox News Digital that a review of public information available through Maryland’s Public Information Act "did not show any voting history for any individual with the name Ian Andre Roberts in Maryland."

The statement further said that due to Maryland law protecting personal identifying information from disclosure, SBE "cannot and will not publicly announce whether media reports about the individual in question is or is not or was or was not a registered voter in Maryland."

Finally, SBE noted that according to Maryland law, it is not a crime to unintentionally register to vote despite not being eligible. The office added that "the right to vote is a sacred right that has been expanded through sacrifices of many before us" and "this office will not disenfranchise a voter based upon partial or unsubstantiated evidence."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/crime/general/illegal-alien-who-served-as-school-superintendent-was-registered-to-vote-and-has-extensive-criminal-record/ar-AA1NU5yY

...plain English.

PROVE he was registered. Post it here.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

38. Sorry so slow...

...had to eat dinner.

I can't post the screenshot, but you can see for yourself he's currently registered by going to this link and entering his information.

https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/VoterSearch

Ian Roberts, DOB 12/18/1970, zip code 20770.

This shows his most recent registration. I'm trying to find the link I read where he was initially registered in 2012, de-activated in 2014, then re-registered in 2017.

[bigtree]

39. so no proof

Just a link to a website.

read what the Maryland officials said, and this issue is dead its a nothingburger, and Maryland isn't citing him for doing anything wrong, just this republican.

"SBE noted that according to Maryland law, it is not a crime to unintentionally register to vote despite not being eligible. The office added that "the right to vote is a sacred right that has been expanded through sacrifices of many before us" and "this office will not disenfranchise a voter based upon partial or unsubstantiated evidence."

Reason for this is that it's the responsibility of MARYLAND to certify him eligible to vote, not a check on a box.

You can't automatically register yourself. It's a process which Maryland isn't saying he abused, so why is anyone else?

Done. It's a smear about nothing.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

40. Maryland doesn't have to do anything

But the federal government can, as it's a federal offense.

I don't live in Maryland, so if their voter registration system is so sloppy that someone can unintentionally register to vote via a DL that specifically states they're not a citizen, that's their problem. But then they shouldn't be surprised when the federal government asks them what the hell is going on.

[bigtree]

41. wow

...that was impressive.

Everything you claimed has no proof at all. You haven't shown any proof that he was registered at any time. You can't because, as Md. says, that info is protected and private.

You can't credibly leap from there to scold Md. officials. there's no proof he voted at any time, and you claim he was registered since 2012? More absurdity to this claim.

More important than not filling in the blanks in your own conjecture, you haven't answered to or refuted the Md. elections officials' three points in response to that republican politician from my state who is the primary accuser.

It's discredited and not even proven to be illegal, with zero action against this man by Md. officials, just a rather sympathetic response which doesn't provide anything to support what this Md. republican claims.

How anyone kept going with this after Md. officials responded is really something, but here we are.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

42. You can see that he's currently registered...

...by going to the Maryland Election site at the link. If you choose not to do, that's up to you. I checked earlier when I posted, and I just checked again - he's registered to vote.

I did see last week that MD claimed he was registered in 2012 originally, but can't find that info now - I would say I'd keep looking, but you wouldn't believe it anyway.

And I've never claimed that he voted, just that he's registered.

The only thing I would refute from the Demarinis letter is that he claims he can't confirm that Roberts is registered to vote, even as the system run by the MD election board shows that he is. If he's saying that system is unreliable, then MD voters should know, as that's the site they're directed to in order to check their voter registration. He said no one by that name had ever voted - OK, I never claimed that he did. He says people might unintentionally register to vote, which I doubt, but as I'm not registered in MD, I would have no way of refuting. And if people are able to register unintentionally, that's a problem.

Either intentionally or unintentionally, a non-citizen is currently registered to vote in MD, has been registered to vote there since 2017, and the state of MD seems to be ok with that, as even now that's it's been shown that he is here illegally, he is still registered. Marylanders may be ok with that, and that's up to them.

[bigtree]

43. I don't believe you

Last edited Sun Oct 5, 2025, 11:34 PM - Edit history (2)

...read what Maryland said and respond to that.

You haven't proven anything, and this is a waste of my time. People should produce proof if they're goingto go around on public sites bandying someone's name around making unsubstantiated charges.

Fine, I guess for a public official claiming to be doing her job, but what is this shit with people who have no dog in this dragging this man?

I guess people do this because they know his immigrant status keeps him from fighting back.

What a shithole nation.

Tell me, how does any of what he's accused of affect you in any direct way?

And what's the actual harm in letting him work this out for himself? I can see making an effort to defend him, that makes sense in this nazi atmosphere of inflamed fears and recrimination, but what is supposed to be the purpose of representing him in such a derogatory way?

Are we supposed to join in demonizing him? How do you credibly do that without knowing all of the facts in his case?

What was the actual harm to anyone in misrepresenting something in his application. Isn't fudging an application sort of a thing in America?

And what's the con there? Apparently he did the work. A con would be taking money and not doing the job, not doing the job he was hired for. Where evidence he didn't do his job?

And why is a loaded gun in a vehicle such a big deal in Iowa where anyone can obtain a permit to do that in the state?

And why isn't ANYONE charging him with fraud if he 'conned' someone?

No fraud charges from DOJ or the state.

No election fraud charges from Maryland.

One narcotics 'charge' from '96 with no resolution listed after all that time, and one dismissed.

All of this leaked and hyped, not only from NOEM's DHS, but from the republican legislative official from my state.

Have people grinding down on this considered that they're doing NOEM's work for her in smearing this man?

All I see here are crimes against some ignorant immigration regs that most administrations wouldn't bother with. But because he's on this immigration hook, it's open season on him like a man fudging his application is some sort of threat to someone.

That's what NOEM intends here, and it's been rather successful in the way she's framed this nothingburger thrown at a man who was apparently doing the job he was hired for. Some fraud.

How hard was it to fire him and move the fuck on? But we can't because he's a scary migrant that had a gun and was accused of something with drugs..

NOEM: "He's a criminal illegal alien with drug charges who had a loaded gun and a knife.

Me: Of course, I'm now fucking shitting myself, afraid of even saying those words. Jumping Jebadiah help protect us from this man working in the public school system who was apparently doing his job. Keep us safe from whatever he was and is accused of, even if no one can tell us exactly what that is.

And protect us from the registration that this republican legislative official from my state claimed he had. Even though the state says it's no big deal and was never used to vote in all the time since it's projected that he was supposed to have gotten it in 2012, I'm still saying it must be so because, I saw something on a website somewhere that I won't share.

Believe me. End times.

[W_HAMILTON]

28. How does a major school system not catch someone with a criminal history and falsified resume during the hiring process?

ESPECIALLY for a $300k/year position?

[SickOfTheOnePct]

31. They hired a third party company to conduct the search for candidates...

...and that company hired a company to vet those candidates. The Des Moines school board filed a lawsuit last week against the company for not thoroughly vetting him. His previous school district in PA is considering doing the same.

[W_HAMILTON]

34. Good lord.

[markodochartaigh]

26. As flawed as the US legal system of justice is,

the US system of public justice as entertainment is so much worse. Part of our circus is not only blowing up random people's offenses (like this case) and tarring and feathering innocent people (like Richard Jewell), but ignoring or soft censoring actual crimes by powerful people (vastly too many instances to list).
It's a damn shame.

[bigtree]

29. this dude, who shouldn't be regarded as a bad guy by gun-strapped Iowa

...was studying and doing what he could to serve a U.S. school system.

A responsible nation would find a way for him to continue in the U.S. and not reflexively penalize or demonize him for these ambiguously listed offenses.

[Sugarcoated]

11. Maybe I'm a little bleary eyed today

but I don't see anywhere in the article where he came here from

[Celerity]

21. Roberts was born in Georgetown, Guyana.

[shanti]

27. Guyana n/t

[BannonsLiver]

18. The "this is why we lose" vibe is strong in parts of this thread.

Last edited Sun Oct 5, 2025, 01:52 PM - Edit history (1)

Some folks need to be a little less obtuse. Sometimes people are frauds. Accept it and move on.