Hannah Fingerhut, Author at The Rapid City Post

Iowa school district sues firm that vetted superintendent as authorities detail his criminal history

October 3, 2025

Federal authorities have revealed that the superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district, Ian Roberts, had a criminal history before his arrest by immigration agents. The native of Guyana was in the U.S. illegally and lacked work authorization for several years. Officials said the charges on his record include drug possession and weapons offenses. Des Moines Public Schools hired him over two years ago to lead its district of about 30,000 students. The school board is suing the consulting company that vetted Roberts. Also Friday, Des Moines school officials sued the consulting company that conducted the superintendent search in 2022.

This photo provided by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows a loaded handgun found in the vehicle of Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. (ICE via AP)

Former Iowa superintendent charged with federal firearms offense after immigration arrest

October 2, 2025

Federal authorities have charged Ian Roberts, the former superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district, with possessing firearms while in the U.S. illegally. Roberts resigned this week after being detained by immigration agents. Roberts appeared by video Thursday before a judge in Des Moines. Federal authorities said Roberts had a final removal order that was issued last year, and an immigration judge denied a motion to reopen Roberts’ immigration case in April this year. They allege Roberts had four firearms in his possession, one in his school-issued vehicle and three at his residence. Roberts’ attorney said he will exercise his right to plead not guilty if he is indicted.

Des Moines, Iowa, public school leader detained by immigration agents, school board says

September 26, 2025

Federal immigration agents have detained the head administrator of Iowa’s capital city public schools. The school board president says Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements agents Friday morning. A spokesperson for the district said they do not have additional information to share at this time. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement records show Ian Roberts in their custody at a county jail in western Iowa. But a Pottawattamie County jail employee said he is not currently at their jail.

FILE - Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

GOP congresswoman joins 2026 Iowa Senate race after Sen. Joni Ernst confirms she won’t run

September 2, 2025

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst is not seeking reelection next year. Ernst says she will retire after two terms in an announcement that followed months of speculation about her plans. Ernst’s departure opens up a Senate seat in the state known for its long-serving incumbents. It is another unexpected retirement for Senate Republicans as they work to maintain their majority in the chamber, and it could have ripple effects down the ballot. Ashley Hinson, the congresswoman representing northeastern Iowa, said in a same-day announcement that she is seeking the party’s nomination for Ernst’s seat. That could complicate Republicans’ efforts to maintain their majority in the other chamber.

FILE - Rita Hart, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, speaks before a vote for new calendar lineup for the early stages of the party's presidential nominating contests during the Democratic National Committee Winter Meeting, Feb. 4, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Iowa Democrats consider bringing back lead off caucuses, even if it means going ‘rogue’ in 2028

August 21, 2025

Iowa’s state party officials say it was a mistake that the party’s 2024 nominating calendar forced them to ditch the five-decade, first-in-the-nation caucus where community members publicly signal their support for a candidate. The state party’s criticism comes with an open threat of defying the national party’s orders in 2028 just days before national Democrats gather for their annual summer meeting. Iowa Democrats are looking to bring the once-competitive, rural and agricultural Midwest state back on the radar of a party questioning its values, direction and future leaders. In 2022, President Joe Biden forced a shake-up of the 2024 election calendar, moving South Carolina’s primary ahead of contests in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

FILE - Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speak to reporters after a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans, at the Capitol in Washington, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Iowa US Senate candidate ends bid to run against Republican incumbent Joni Ernst

August 18, 2025

An Iowa Democratic state lawmaker is bowing out of the 2026 U.S. Senate primary race and endorsing a colleague as the “best hope” to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst. Ernst has yet to formally announce her bid for a third term. Rep. J.D. Scholten said Monday he is suspending his campaign and endorsing Rep. Josh Turek. Both represent districts in counties that overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump in 2024. An announcement from Ernst may come in the next few weeks. Last week she said: “I’ve got a lot more work to do.”

FILE - Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird speaks at a press conference, May 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah, File)

Iowa attorney general to end lawsuit against a sheriff over his immigration post

July 18, 2025

Iowa’s attorney general says she will drop her lawsuit accusing Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx of discouraging cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Marx had stated in a February social media post that his department wouldn’t always detain individuals at the request of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement without a court order, citing constitutional concerns. Bird filed suit despite an investigation showing Marx had complied with each of the nearly two dozen requests he had received from ICE to hold someone suspected of immigration violations. Marx also deleted the Facebook post. On Friday, the attorney general said the county is now fully compliant with state law.

Color-coordinated Iowans advocating for and against a massive carbon-capture pipeline project routed across several Midwest states await a debate among lawmakers at the statehouse in Des Moines on Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Hannah Fingerhut)

Iowa governor rejects GOP bill to increase regulations of Summit’s carbon dioxide pipeline

June 11, 2025

Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has rejected a bill that could have introduced more complications for a massive carbon-capture pipeline project routed across several Midwestern states. The veto Wednesday is a rarity in the Republican-controlled statehouse. The legislation was designed by Iowa House Republicans to increase regulations for Summit Carbon Solutions’ estimated $8.9 billion, 2,500-mile project that cuts across Iowa and already has an approved permit in the state. The bill would have prohibited the renewal of permits for a carbon dioxide pipeline, limited the use of such a pipeline to 25 years and significantly increased the insurance coverage requirements for the pipeline company.

FILE - Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speaks at a hearing on Capitol Hill Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell, File)

Ernst draws groans at Iowa town hall after retort on Medicaid cuts, saying ‘we all are going to die’

May 30, 2025

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst is facing backlash after saying “we all are going to die” while talking about potential changes to Medicaid eligibility at a town hall in north-central Iowa. Despite shouts and groans from the crowd at a high school in Parkersburg, Iowa, Ernst stayed on message as she defended the tax and immigration package making its way through Congress. But as she emphasized the reasons for the $700 billion in reduced Medicaid spending, someone in the crowd yelled that people are going to die without coverage. Ernst said: “People are not … well, we all are going to die,” prompting groans from the audience.

Awaiting Trump’s ‘sanctuary’ list, a sheriff who rejected pact with ICE warns of possible shaming

May 20, 2025

An Iowa sheriff is warning his county may be publicly shamed by the Trump administration for insufficiently backing the president’s immigration agenda. Dubuque County Sheriff Joe Kennedy says he is “more than happy” to help but he doesn’t want to get stuck paying for immigration enforcement and he wants to retain enough jail space for other responsibilities. President Donald Trump ordered a list by May 28 of “sanctuary” jurisdictions that don’t cooperate with federal immigration authorities but didn’t elaborate on the criteria. Kennedy has made clear that his reluctance to enforce immigration law is not about politics.

Hannah Fingerhut.