Jon Luke Evans, a seasonal officer with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department in Maine, was arrested on Friday, July 26, 2025, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to an official statement issued Monday by the federal agency.
The arrest sparked nationwide controversy after ICE accused the department of “knowingly” hiring an undocumented immigrant. Local officials, however, have firmly denied any misconduct.
According to ICE, Evans, a Jamaican national, legally entered the United States on a tourist visa on September 24, 2023, but failed to depart by the scheduled date of October 1, 2023, thus overstaying his visa. The agency said his arrest followed an unlawful attempt to purchase a firearm, which triggered an alert from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), prompting a joint investigation.
Old Orchard Beach Police Chief Elise Chard defended the department’s hiring practices, stating that Evans underwent all standard procedures. In a statement released Monday, Chard explained that Evans completed the federal I-9 form and that his information was verified through the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) E-Verify system, which also involves the Social Security Administration. “The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Evans was authorized to work in the U.S. The form was submitted and approved on May 12, 2025,” she stated, as reported by NBC News. ICE, however, issued a sharply critical response.
“The fact that a police department would hire an illegal alien and unlawfully issue him a firearm while on duty would be comical if it weren’t so tragic,” said Patricia Hyde, acting field office director for ICE in Boston. “We have a police department that was knowingly breaking the very law they are charged with enforcing in order to employ an illegal alien.”
Chief Chard categorically rejected those claims, clarifying that reserve officers are not allowed to purchase or carry personal firearms for work-related duties. “Officers are trained in the use of department-issued firearms, which must be returned at the end of each shift,” she said.
According to NBC News, Evans reportedly told ICE officers that he had attempted to acquire the weapon for his duties as a police officer. In Maine, reserve officers are seasonal, part-time employees who undergo the same background checks, physical agility tests, and medical evaluations as full-time officers. Chard emphasized, “Evans would not have been permitted to begin work unless the Department of Homeland Security had first confirmed his status.”
She also expressed serious concern regarding what appears to be a failure on the part of federal authorities. “Our department takes its legal responsibilities very seriously. We intend to investigate this matter further to determine what additional steps we must take to ensure full compliance with all applicable laws,” Chard added.
Evans is currently under an extended probationary period, and the department has initiated an internal review to examine the circumstances surrounding his employment.
The case unfolds against the broader backdrop of immigration issues in Maine. According to the American Immigration Council, approximately 34,000 immigrant workers make up 4.6% of the state’s labor force, including an estimated 5,800 undocumented immigrants of working age.
This incident has raised significant concerns about the reliability of federal employment verification systems and the jurisdictional tensions between local and federal immigration enforcement. Should ICE’s allegations be substantiated, the Old Orchard Beach Police Department could face serious legal consequences.
Within the department, Evans is reportedly viewed as a respected and dedicated officer. Several of his colleagues have criticized what they see as a lack of transparency from federal authorities in how his arrest was handled.
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Source: NBCNews.
