Maine: ICE arrest illegal immigrant, Jon-Luke Evans, working as a police officer in US

Authorities are struggling to piece together the circumstances that led to a police officer being arrested as an illegal immigrant after he tried to purchase a gun in the US.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents took Jon-Luke Evans into custody on July 25, and have held him for over three weeks, after a background check found the Jamaican national had overstayed his visa by nearly two years.

Serving as a reserve police officer in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, Evans reportedly arrived via a flight into Miami International Airport in September 2023 on a week-long visa. He failed to leave after his visa expired and landed a role with the local police service, according to federal officials.

Old Orchard Police Chief Elise Chard said Evans’ status was exposed after he tried to purchase a gun that he stated he needed for his job.

Reserve officers do carry guns when on duty, but must return them as their shift ends and can not take them home according to Chief Chard.

“Reserve officers aren’t asked to purchase firearms themselves and aren’t allowed to carry other firearms for their duties,” Chief Chard added.

The arrest sparked controversy between local police and ICE, with Old Orchard Beach officials saying they did everything they could to verify Evans was authorised to work in the US.

Under the police department’s hiring process, Evans was required to submit an I-9 Form to the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify Program and Chief Chard confirmed the department had received his I-9 Form to Homeland Security, with photo identification for his employment.

“The form was submitted and approved by DHS on May 12, 2025,” Chief Chard said.

“Evans would not have been permitted to begin work as a reserve officer until and unless Homeland Security verified his status.”

But the federal bureau in charge of Homeland Security had a vastly different view on the stringency of the background checks in general.

“Usage of E-Verify does not absolve employers of their legal duty to verify documentation authenticity, and all employers should take necessary steps to effectively verify legal employment status,” Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

“No illegal alien should ever be provided a firearm or serve in law enforcement, not only is it the law, it’s also basic common sense.”

Recent records reported in the Daily Mail state an immigration judge has now granted Evans a voluntary departure, which allows him to leave the US as soon as possible to avoid deportation.

Under the voluntary departure system, Evans is required to use his own money to leave the United States within a specific amount of time and in doing so could potentially return more easily.

In order to secure a voluntary departure, Evans had to agree that he is not living in the United States legally, waive or withdraw any applications to remain in the country and show that he has the intention and is able to fund his own departure from the US.