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����vlog 8 News NEWS. CLOSE UP. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF IOWA’S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT, NOW AT THE CENTER OF A NATIONAL IMMIGRATION DEBATE. PROTESTERS DEMANDING DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS RELEASE. WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DMPS LEADER’S BACKGROUND. WE SHOULD PROMOTE TRUE DISCOURSE AND FACTS, NOT SPREAD MISINFORMATION MEANT TO DIVIDE US. WHAT STARTED THE INVESTIGATION AND THE BIG QUESTION STILL UNANSWERED DAYS AFTER HIS DETAINMENT. WILL MAP OUT THE DISTRICT’S NEXT MOVES AND HOW ROBERTS ARREST COULD SHAPE CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POLICY, BOTH AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL IN THE YEARS TO COME. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER. IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT WEEK FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR THE DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. ITS SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS, HAS BEEN DETAINED BY FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES. AND IT’S NEWS THAT’S SHOCKING. AND IT HAS BEEN JARRING FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND ALL ACROSS THE STATE. ROBERTS IS NOW IN THE WOODBURY COUNTY JAIL UP IN NORTHWESTERN IOWA. HE WAS ARRESTED FRIDAY AFTER A TRAFFIC STOP. THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAYS HE WAS IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY AND HAD NO WORK AUTHORIZATION. THE AGENCY SAYS HE INITIALLY FLED LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT WAS LATER FOUND WITH A LOADED GUN, A KNIFE AND A LARGE SUM OF CASH. HIS ARREST HAS SPARKED PROTESTS, BOTH HERE IN DES MOINES AND AT THE JAIL WHERE ROBERTS IS BEING HELD. NO ICE, NO FEAR. IMMIGRANTS ARE WELCOME HERE. MEANTIME, DES MOINES SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS SAY THEY’RE TRYING TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY THE BEST WAY THEY CAN. THE ACCUSATIONS ICE HAS MADE AGAINST DOCTOR ROBERTS ARE VERY SERIOUS, AND WE ARE TAKING THEM VERY SERIOUSLY. I WANT TO BE CLEAR TODAY, WE STILL DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THE FACTS. YESTERDAY, THE DES MOINES SCHOOL BOARD VOTED TO PLACE ROBERTS ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. IN A MOMENT, WE’LL TALK WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR. BUT FIRST, HERE IS WHAT WE KNOW. ROBERTS HAS BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT SINCE JULY OF 2023. THE DISTRICT SERVES ABOUT 35,000 STUDENTS. ICE SAYS AN IMMIGRATION JUDGE ISSUED A DEPORTATION ORDER IN MAY 2020 FOR DMP. DMPS SAYS THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THAT ORDER. HIS MOST RECENT CONTRACT, SIGNED IN MAY, SHOWS THAT ROBERTS MAKES $286,000 A YEAR. SCHOOL LEADERS SAY DISTRICT RECORDS INDICATED THAT ROBERTS IS A US CITIZEN. ROBERTS DID PASS A BACKGROUND CHECK THROUGH THE FIRM. BAKER EUBANKS ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE DISTRICT SAYS HE PASSED ANOTHER CHECK WHEN HE APPLIED FOR HIS ADMINISTRATOR LICENSE WITH THE IOWA BOARD OF EDUCATIONAL EXAMINERS. THAT WAS GRANTED IN 2023. ����vlog HAS ALSO LEARNED THAT ROBERTS IS BEING REPRESENTED BY THE PARISH LAW FIRM. WE ASKED HIS ATTORNEY TO CONFIRM WHEN HE WAS HIRED AS DES MOINES SUPERINTENDENT IN 2023. THE LAW FIRM DECLINED TO COMMENT FURTHER, SAYING IT’S STILL GATHERING THE FACTS. THESE PAST 48 HOURS HAVE BEEN A WHIRLWIND FOR EVERYONE WHO KNOWS, THE DES MOINES SUPERINTENDENT. HE WAS VERY TIED IN AND WELL RESPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY, ����vlog KAYLA JAMES TELLS US ABOUT THE TRAFFIC STOP THAT STARTED IT ALL DURING A, QUOTE, TARGETED ENFORCEMENT OPERATION ON FRIDAY IS WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAYS ICE AGENTS APPROACHED DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS IN HIS VEHICLE SHORTLY AFTER, THE DEPARTMENT SAYS ROBERTS SPED OFF AND LATER ABANDONED HIS VEHICLE NEAR A WOODED AREA. INSIDE THE VEHICLE, ICE REPORTS WERE A LOADED GUN, $3,000 IN CASH AND A HUNTING KNIFE. I WAS PRETTY FREAKED OUT THAT SAME MORNING. PEOPLE LIVING IN AND AROUND EWING TRACE TRAILER PARK SAY THEY SAW ICE AGENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE IOWA STATE PATROL IN THE AREA. ����vlog WAS THE ONLY MEDIA OUTLET THERE. AS LAW ENFORCEMENT MEMBERS SWARMED THE AREA. I’M SEEING STATE TROOPERS AT THIS POINT AND THEY’RE, YOU KNOW, COMING OUT, GUNS DRAWN AND STUFF LIKE, WHAT IN THE WORLD? YEAH. SO I WAS PRETTY FREAKED OUT. WHILE ����vlog CREWS DID SEE DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS SAFETY OFFICERS AROUND THE AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THIS INVESTIGATION HAVE NOT YET SHARED WITH US. IF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE AT EWING TRACE TRAILER PARK WAS CONNECTED TO ROBERTS DETAINMENT. ROBERTS WAS FOUND AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. I WAS ON MY WAY TO MEET HIM UP AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR AN EVENT, A FUN RUN WITH STUDENTS AT WINDSOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS WHERE PHIL RADER, DMPS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, SAYS HE AND ROBERTS WERE SET TO MEET FRIDAY MORNING, BUT THEN HE RECEIVED A TEXT A LITTLE BEFORE NINE, SIMPLY SAYING THAT SOMETHING CAME UP. HE HAD AN EMERGENCY. HE WASN’T GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT. AND THEN 45 MINUTES LATER, RADER SAYS HE RECEIVED A FACETIME CALL FROM ROBERTS PHONE DOCTOR. ROBERTS WAS INTERESTED, AS HE ALWAYS IS, YOU KNOW, WAS READY FOR THE WORKDAY. CLEARLY. BUT WAS SURROUNDED BY 3 OR 4 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, AND HE APPEARED TO BE CUFFED AT THE TIME HE WAS STANDING WITH HIS WITH HIS HANDS BEHIND HIS HIS BACK, RADER SAYS. EVERYTHING ON THE SUBMITTED I-9 FORM INDICATED ROBERTS WAS A CITIZEN. THE DISTRICT SAYS ROBERTS UNDERWENT A COMPREHENSIVE BACKGROUND CHECK THROUGH BAKER EUBANKS, THE FIRM TELLS ����vlog IT PERFORMED THE BACKGROUND SCREENING IN APRIL OF 2023, BUT IT DOES NOT PROVIDE I-9 OR WORK ELIGIBILITY SERVICES. ROBERTS REMAINS AT THE WOODBURY COUNTY JAIL IN NORTHWEST IOWA. DES MOINES BASED PARRISH LAW FIRM IS REPRESENTING HIM IN DES MOINES. KAYLA JAMES, ����vlog EIGHT NEWS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SAYS ROBERTS ARREST WAS SHOCKING, PARTICULARLY HIS ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO EVADE AUTHORITIES. BUT SHE SAYS, QUOTE, WE ARE A NATION OF LAWS THAT MUST BE ENFORCED. I’M JOINED NOW BY DES MOINES SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR JACKIE NORRIS. JACKIE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING. THIS IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION. IT’S ONE THAT HAS CREATED A LOT OF EMOTION IN OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STATE, EVEN OUR COUNTRY. AND THERE’S A LOT OF CONFLICTING INFORMATION OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. AND SO WE WANT TO GET OUR VIEWERS THE MOST CLARITY WE CAN. THIS MORNING. DHS SAYS THAT WHEN DOCTOR ROBERTS WAS ARRESTED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE WORK AUTHORIZATION AND THAT HE WAS IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY WHEN THE DISTRICT HIRED ROBERTS IN 2023. WAS IT THE DISTRICT’S IMPRESSION THAT HE DID HAVE WORK AUTHORIZATION, AND WHAT WAS HIS IMMIGRATION STATUS AT THAT TIME? THIS IS ALL NEW INFORMATION, AND WE ARE SEEKING THE FACTS JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IS. WHEN THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS HIRED, I WAS NOT BOARD CHAIR, BUT WE RETAINED A SEARCH FIRM. DID THE BACKGROUND CHECK, JUST LIKE THE STATE OF IOWA AND GOVERNOR REYNOLDS AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATIONAL EXAMINERS DID THEIR LICENSE CHECK. AND SO WE FOLLOWED ALL OF THE PROPER PROCEDURES. AND NOW WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE FACTS TO UNFOLD, BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT THERE’S NOT LEGITIMACY AROUND THAT RIGHT NOW. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING, YOU KNOW, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? HOW WERE THERE NO RED FLAGS THAT POPPED UP? IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY YOU WANT TO SAY TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS? THERE WERE NO RED FLAGS. THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS WORKED IN MULTIPLE STATES, THAT HAS SERVED ON BOARDS, THAT HAS BEEN A SUPERINTENDENT BEFORE. AND SO WE FOLLOWED ALL OF THE STEPS IN THE PROCESS. AND NOW I THINK WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE FACTS. AND THE FACTS ARE WHAT WE ANTICIPATE. DOCTOR ROBERTS ATTORNEY IS GOING TO OBTAIN WHEN HE IS ABLE TO OBTAIN THEM FROM THE DETENTION FACILITY IN ICE. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CHANGE GOING FORWARD IN HOW THE DISTRICT VETS EMPLOYEES? THERE IS NOT BECAUSE WE FOLLOWED THE PROCESS, IS THERE IS THERE POTENTIAL DISCREPANCIES, THOUGH, IN WHAT THAT PROCESS BRINGS UP? I MEAN, IS THERE MORE POTENTIALLY IN THE FUTURE TO DO ON THOSE BACKGROUND CHECKS OR DIFFERENT TYPES OF BACKGROUND CHECKS OR COORDINATION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? I THINK THIS IS SPARKING A FAR BROADER CONVERSATION THAN JUST DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND I THINK IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO POINT THAT OUT, BECAUSE CITIZENSHIP IS CLEARLY SO COMPLEX. AND SO THE THING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE I KNOW OUR STUDENTS ARE WATCHING THIS, WE’VE GOT 30,000 STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO RETURN THROUGH OUR DOORS ON MONDAY. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT AS THE CITIZENSHIP PROCESS WORKS ITS WAY THROUGH, WE ALSO HAVE TO ASSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS. AND SO TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE AT THE SAME TIME. AND SO AS WE’RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS, IT’S IMPORTANT THAT, YES, THE CITIZENSHIP PROCESS. WE NEED INFORMATION. RIGHT. IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. AND WE CANNOT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. SO WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHY. JUST LIKE I’M SURE YOU KNOW, GOVERNOR REYNOLDS AND THE STATE IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY. BECAUSE WE BOTH ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO HAVE TO ALLOW WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD AND LEAD OUR DISTRICT. RIGHT. AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE PREPARED TO RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM ON MONDAY. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MONDAY, BUT FIRST, JUST ONE OTHER THING. I THINK BECAUSE THE TIMELINE HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING FOR PEOPLE, HE WAS HIRED IN 2023. IT WASN’T UNTIL 2024 THAT AN IMMIGRATION JUDGE GAVE HIM THAT DEPORTATION ORDER, THOUGH THE DISTRICT HAS SAID IT WAS NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT THAT DEPORTATION ORDER. IS THERE AN AGENCY THAT’S SUPPOSED TO REACH OUT AND NOTIFY? I MEAN, JUST HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. I MEAN, WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED. WE FOUND OUT ON FRIDAY, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DID. AND SO AGAIN, BROADER CONVERSATION, I THINK A CONVERSATION FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND HOW IT CHOOSES TO NOTIFY PEOPLE AND IF THEY NOTIFY EMPLOYERS. WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED. NOW, YOU KNOW, AS YOU’VE BROUGHT UP, OUR STUDENTS ARE WATCHING, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY. STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE RETURNING TO CLASSES ON MONDAY. WHAT DO PARENTS AND STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW? YEAH. SO I’M SO PROUD OF OUR INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, MATT SMITH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HIM, WE DIRECTED THAT COMMUNICATION. REGULAR COMMUNICATION GOES TO PARENTS, GOES TO STAFF. HE’S CONVENED THE STAFF ALREADY. AND THE MESSAGES THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT PARENTS ARE COMFORTABLE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR CHILD ABOUT THIS AND THAT TEACHERS ARE TOO. AND AND LOOK, I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THAT THROUGH THE LENS OF CHILDREN, THIS IS SOMEBODY THAT THEY SAW IN THEIR CLASSROOMS THAT WAS SPARKING ENERGETIC CONVERSATIONS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT DOCTOR ROBERTS IS A HUMAN BEING. AND AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE DISCREPANCIES IN THE CITIZENSHIP STATUS THAT WE ARE NAVIGATING THROUGH. YEAH, WE KNOW THAT THERE MAY BE SOME WALKOUTS PLANNED IN DMPS HIGH SCHOOLS. WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THE DISTRICT TO HANDLE POTENTIAL PROTESTS AS THEY POP UP THIS WEEK? YEAH, SO THE STAFF HAS HAD THAT CONVERSATION AND IT’S IMPORTANT TO BALANCE, RIGHT, CREATING THE CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING AND ALSO FREEDOM OF SPEECH. AND SO I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IN THE STAFF’S ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THOSE TWO THINGS. AND THEY’RE PREPARED TO TO DO SO. NOW, I KNOW IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, DURING PRESS CONFERENCES AND THINGS, YOU NOTICED THE NOTE, ACKNOWLEDGED THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT DOCTOR ROBERTS HAS MADE IN HIS MORE THAN TWO YEARS OF LEADERSHIP IN THE DISTRICT. WE HAD HIM ON CLOSE UP RECENTLY TALKING ABOUT THE REIMAGINING EDUCATION BOND REFERENDUM. THERE’S A $265 MILLION BOND REFERENDUM THAT WILL GO BEFORE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER. HE WAS, YOU KNOW, A BIG PART OF SPEARHEADING THAT. WHERE DOES THAT STAND RIGHT NOW? YEAH, I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT REIMAGINING EDUCATION WAS ACTUALLY CATALYZED BY A BIG BOARD VISION TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT EDUCATION. AND OUR COMMUNITY INFORMED THAT OUR TEACHERS, INFORMED THAT OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS INFORMED THAT. AND SO OUR JOB IS TO TAKE THIS BIG VISION AND CONTINUE TO MOVE IT FORWARD. AND SO WE MOVE FORWARD AS PLANNED. WE ASSURE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE A PLAN. WE ARE EXCELLENT STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND OUR KIDS NEED IT. THIS IS ABOUT OUR KIDS. THIS IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR CHILDREN. I DID JUST REMEMBER I HAD ONE OTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION AND AND DMPS POLICY. I KNOW DHS SAYS THAT THEY DID FIND A LOADED WEAPON IN A DISTRICT VEHICLE THAT WAS IN DOCTOR ROBERTS POSSESSION. WHAT IS DMPS SCHOOL POLICY ON? IS THERE EVER A TIME OR A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE A WEAPON WOULD BE ALLOWED IN A DISTRICT VEHICLE? YOU KNOW, WE TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY. SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE SAFE. AS WELL. BUT THE ANSWER IS GUNS DO NOT BELONG IN STUDENT IN SCHOOL, PROPERTY, RIGHT? IN SCHOOL VEHICLES, SCHOOL VEHICLES. AND THEN VERY QUICKLY, I KNOW YOU’RE HERE IN YOUR CAPACITY AS SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR. YOU ARE ALSO RUNNING FOR US SENATE. THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS MAY IMPACT YOUR CAMPAIGN. WHERE DOES YOUR CAMPAIGN STAND RIGHT NOW? RIGHT NOW I’M FOCUSED ON DOING MY VOLUNTEER JOB, AND THAT IS CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. AND I’M SO PROUD TO REPRESENT THIS DISTRICT. JACKIE NORRIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. WE APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. STILL TO COME ON CLOSE UP, DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS ARREST HAS NATIONAL IMPLICATIONS. WE TALK WITH CONGRESSMAN ZACH NUNN ABOUT HIS CALL FOR MORE ANSWERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELANDECURITY. OF PEOPLE RALLIED IN DOWNTOWN DES MOINES AFTER DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS WAS DETAINED. SUPPORTERS CARRIED SIGNS DENOUNCING ICE AND PRAISING ROBERTS, SAYING HIS WORK WITH STUDENTS MAKES HIM WORTH FIGHTING FOR. TEACHERS, PARENTS AND KIDS WHO WERE THERE TOLD ����vlog THAT THEY WANT LAWMAKERS TO KNOW THAT THEY OPPOSE ISIS ACTIONS IN IOWA. NOW, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF HEATED REACTION ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS, AND THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS. CONGRESSMAN ZACH NUNN REPRESENTS IOWA’S THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDES DES MOINES. HE WROTE A LETTER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CALLING FOR CLARITY AFTER ROBERT’S SHOCKING ARREST. REPRESENTATIVE NUNN JOINS US THIS MORNING. CONGRESSMAN, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. AMANA, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO JOIN THIS CONVERSATION. I THINK, FIRST AND FOREMOST, IOWANS DESERVE TO HAVE FACTS IN THIS CASE. AND IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO GET AFTER THE ROOT CAUSES THAT ESTABLISH THIS. THERE’S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE KNOW. THERE WAS CLEARLY A COLOSSAL FAILURE THAT ALLOWED SOMEONE WHO DIDN’T HAVE A LEGAL IMMIGRATION STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES TO BE HERE LEADING ONE OF THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY. IT ALSO IS CHALLENGING THAT IN THIS CASE, THE INDIVIDUAL DIDN’T EVER TELL, THE SCHOOL BOARD, DIDN’T TELL THE STATE, AND DIDN’T TELL THE COMMUNITY IN A POSITION OF TRUST WHAT HAD HAPPENED. WE KNOW THAT THE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES NEEDS REFORM. IT’S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I’VE LED ON. I’M PROUD THAT FOR 800 IOWANS IN THE THIRD DISTRICT, THEY’VE COME THEM THROUGH A VERY ARDUOUS IMMIGRATION PROCESS. WE’VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THOSE FOLKS. THIS IS A CASE WHERE SOMEONE INTENTIONALLY WITHHELD INFORMATION AND A BIDEN ERA REMOVAL ORDER FROM 2024 ENDED UP BEING A SITUATION WHERE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE NOW BEEN LEFT WITH THE AFTERMATH OF THIS LACK OF INFORMATION. SO HOLDING EVERYONE FROM THE STATE IS DOING NOW, UP TO ICE AGENTS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ACCOUNTABLE FOR PROVIDING CLEAR INFORMATION, IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO, BOTH IN OUR ROLE IN OVERSIGHT, BUT IN HOLDING TRANSPARENCY SO THAT IOWANS KNOW THE TRUTH AND THAT WE DON’T HAVE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. RIGHT. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE ARE RECORDS, COURT DOCUMENTS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET ANSWERS ON. I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE REQUESTED ALL THE DOCUMENTS RELATING TO ROBERTS IMMIGRATION STATUS. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW THE TIMELINE ON WHEN HE ENTERED THE COUNTRY AND HIS CITIZENSHIP STATUS REMAINS UNCLEAR, HIS CITIZENSHIP STATUS WHEN HE WAS HIRED AS SHOULD ICE HAVE RELEASED THAT INFORMATION WHEN IT MADE ITS INITIAL PUBLIC STATEMENT ABOUT ROBERTS ARREST? WELL, THIS IS WHY WE IMMEDIATELY MOVED FORWARD WITH AN OFFICIAL OVERSIGHT INQUIRY INTO ICE ON HOW THIS HAPPENED. I EXPECT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO OUR COMMUNITY, BOTH WHEN HE CAME IN, IF THERE WAS A PREVIOUS GUN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN 2020, AS WELL AS WHEN WAS THAT FINAL EXECUTION ORDER TO SAY HE NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE COUNTRY? IT WAS CLEAR THAT UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THEY FELT THAT HIS APPEAL, NEARLY A 25 YEAR PROCESS, HAD EXPIRED, AND HE WAS INFORMED THAT HE NEEDED TO LEAVE. AT WHAT POINT DID HE KNOW THAT? AND WHY DID HE FAIL TO TELL OUR COMMUNITY THAT HE HAD BEEN ASKED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY? IS THERE A LEGAL REQUIREMENT FOR DHS TO HAVE NOTIFIED THE DISTRICT THAT A DEPORTATION ORDER WAS GIVEN IN 2024? WHETHER THERE’S A LEGAL REQUIREMENT OR NOT, THEY ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE DOING THIS. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT I THINK IS VERY CHALLENGING AS WE GO FORWARD RIGHT NOW, IF ICE IS GOING TO BE OPERATING IN OUR COMMUNITY CANDIDLY WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION. NOW, THAT ALSO MEANS UPHOLDING THE LAW. IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOU GET TO HIDE BEHIND THAT AS AN EXCUSE TO NOT TELL YOUR EMPLOYER, TO TELL YOUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU’VE BEEN OPERATING IN THE COUNTRY IN A NON LEGAL STATUS. SO WE’LL BE HOLDING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS. AND I THINK, CANDIDLY, IOWANS ACROSS THE BOARD ON EITHER SIDE WANT TO KNOW THAT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IS SOMETHING WE SUPPORT, IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TRUST. TRANSPARENCY IS THE BEST WAY TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. AND MAKING SURE THAT ICE IS PROVIDING THOSE DOCUMENTS IS WHAT I INTEND TO DO, AS WELL AS WORK WITH OUR STATE AND LOCAL LEADERS HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS PROVIDING. I THINK THE KEY QUESTION HERE, WHERE WAS THIS I-9 THAT IDENTIFIED WHETHER HE WAS A US CITIZEN OR NOT? HOW DID HE HAVE A WEAPON IF HE WAS NOT A US CITIZEN? AND WHY DID HE RUN FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BEGIN WITH? THERE ARE SO MANY QUESTIONS HERE. ALSO, ON THAT VERIFICATION PROCESS ON THE I-9, ON THE BACKGROUND CHECK, THE DISTRICT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THEY DID A COMPREHENSIVE BACKGROUND CHECK AND THAT HE PASSED IT. THEY SAID THAT WHEN WHEN HE WAS GOING THROUGH THE HIRING PROCESS, THERE WERE NO RED FLAGS THAT POPPED UP TO INDICATE THAT HE WAS NOT A US CITIZEN, WHICH I THINK HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE WONDERING ACROSS OUR STATE, POTENTIALLY ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. ARE THERE GAPS IN THE VETTING PROCESS? IS THERE ANYTHING ACTION THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THIS SITUATION ISN’T HAPPENING IN OTHER PLACES? YEAH, AND I THINK YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT HERE. LOOK, IF THE THE INDIVIDUAL IN QUESTION HERE COMMITTED PERJURY AND LIED ON THE I-9, IF THERE WAS FRAUD COMMITTED, THESE ARE ALL THINGS WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO AFTER. WE KNOW THIS. 10 MILLION ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAME IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME TO THIS COUNTRY LEGALLY AND HAVE A PATHWAY AREN’T BEING SUBVERTED BY RESOURCES GOING TO HAVE TO DO THIS LEVEL OF ENFORCEMENT ON PEOPLE WHO KNOWINGLY SHOULD NOT BE HERE. AT THE SAME TIME, THIS LEVEL OF FOLLOW UP FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO ENSURE THAT WE’RE USING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE WE’RE HOLDING FOLKS ACCOUNTABLE AT THE EMPLOYER LEVEL, AS WELL AS THE EMPLOYEE LEVEL. I WANT TO HAVE A PATHWAY THAT WE ARE ALREADY WORKING ON, AND I’M MEETING WITH THE WHITE HOUSE ON THIS TO SAY WE’VE GOT TO HAVE A BETTER IMMIGRATION SYSTEM NOW THAT WE ARE SECURING OUR BORDER, NOW THAT WE HAVE SOME OF THE LOWEST ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS IN OUR NATION’S HISTORY. LET’S GET TO A PATHWAY WHERE WE’RE PROVIDING PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME HERE CANDIDLY, PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY A CLEAN PATHWAY TO DO THIS. SO THIS TYPE OF BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE ISN’T SOMETHING THAT TRIPS SOMEONE UP AND WORSE, ISN’T THE TYPE OF THING THAT ALLOWS AN ILLEGAL TO STAY IN OUR COUNTRY AND POTENTIALLY BE A HARM AGAIN. AND I WANT TO MAKE THIS CLEAR. THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF THINGS THAT’S RIGHT. HOWEVER, I MEAN, DOCTOR ROBERTS WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS WELL RESPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS, I THINK, HAS SHOCKED THE COUNTRY JUST BECAUSE OF THE HIGH PROFILE NATURE OF THIS DETAINMENT. FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO THE OVERALL PATTERN OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY RIGHT NOW? WELL, LET’S NOT BE UNSYMPATHETIC HERE. I MEAN, I THINK YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. I’VE WORKED WITH DOCTOR ROBERTS, BUT I’VE ALSO WORKED WITH A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE TRYING TO COME HERE THE RIGHT WAY. EACH OF THEM HAVE VERY POWERFUL STORIES OF WHAT THEY WANT TO BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY. BUT I KNOW THIS WHEN YOU BREAK THE LAW, WHEN YOU RUN FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE TRUE ARE THAT HE WAS NOT HERE LEGALLY, THAT HE HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO LEAVE, AND THAT HE DIDN’T TELL OUR COMMUNITY THE TRUTH ABOUT THAT. AND THAT IS BOTH HEARTBREAKING. BUT IT’S ALSO A REALITY THAT WE CAN’T ALLOW THAT TYPE OF BEHAVIOR TO BE REWARDED WHILE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO COME HERE THE RIGHT WAY AND ARE NOT BEING TREATED THE SAME WAY. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO WITH THE PASSAGE OF REAL BORDER SECURITY HERE IS TO CRACK DOWN ON THE ILLEGAL PATHWAYS AND LOOK TO BUILD A LEGAL PATHWAY FOR FOLKS WHO WANT TO CONTINUE TO COME AND EXPAND. THAT’S WHAT WE’RE SORRY TO STOP YOU THERE, BUT WE’VE GOT TO GO TO BREAK. CLOSE UP. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK. THANKS FOR WATCHING. STAY WITH US. LAWMAKERS ON CAPITOL HILL ARE SCRAMBLING TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. THIS IS A LIVE LOOK FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. THIS MORNING. AND WE’RE JOINED THIS MORNING BY CONGRESSMAN ZACH NUNN. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. NOW, THE LAST THAT I HEARD, HOUSE MEMBERS HAD NOT BEEN CALLED BACK TO CAPITOL HILL AT ANY POINT BEFORE TUESDAY AT MIDNIGHT. IF THERE ISN’T A DEAL BY THEN, THE GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN. IS THAT STILL? THERE’S NO PLAN TO BE BACK TO D.C. BEFORE THEN. YEAH, AMANDA, WE DID OUR JOB. WE PASSED A BUDGET, AND WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE NEXT RESOLUTION HERE. AS WE CONTINUE TO PASS APPROPRIATIONS BILLS, IT WENT TO THE SENATE, THE SENATE REPUBLICANS WERE UNABLE TO PASS THEIR VERSION. THEY TOOK UP THE DEMOCRAT VERSION. THE SENATE DEMOCRATS WERE UNABLE TO PASS THEIR VERSION. AND CANDIDLY, THE SENATE NEEDS TO DO THEIR JOB. AND HERE’S WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LITERALLY 3 MILLION IOWANS WHO ARE DEPENDING ON A GOVERNMENT THAT FUNCTIONS THAT THEIR TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE BEING USED EFFECTIVELY. WE’VE GOT 15,000 NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS RIGHT HERE IN IOWA, NEARLY 2000 OF WHICH ARE DEPLOYED TO THE MIDDLE EAST. THOSE FOLKS LOSE THEIR PAYCHECK. IF THE GOVERNMENT CAN’T BE FUNDED. THERE’S 240,000 IOWANS WHO NEED SNAP, WHO WILL NOT GET THAT. IF DEMOCRATS CANNOT WORK TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD A FUNDING BILL JUST TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT LIGHTS ON. LOOK, WHEN I WAS IN REPUBLICAN MY FIRST TERM, I FOUGHT TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPEN. WHEN JOE BIDEN WANTED TO BE THERE. WE’RE DOING IT NOW, AND WE EXPECT THE SENATE TO DO THE SAME. CONGRESSMAN, THAT’S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. WE APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. LET’S KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPEN. WE’LL CLOSE UP. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS BREAK. STAY WITH US. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR ����vlog EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP. WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY. HAVE A GREAT DAY.