Maine Police Officer Arrested by ICE Agrees to Self-Deport

Jon Luke Evans was arrested after allegedly attempting to illegally buy a firearm for his job.

In this undated photo provided by Old Orchard Beach Police Department, Officer Jon Luke Evans receives his police badge. Old Orchard Beach Police Department/AP

A Maine police officer arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has agreed to voluntarily leave the country, the agency said on Aug. 19.

Jon Luke Evans, a reserve officer with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department and a citizen of Jamaica, was taken into custody on July 25 after his alleged attempt to purchase a firearm raised concerns about his immigration status. Maine is among a handful of states where non-citizens may work in law enforcement.

A judge has since granted Evans voluntary departure, allowing him to leave the country on his own rather than face formal deportation proceedings.

It is not clear whether Evans was represented by an attorney.

According to ICE, Evans admitted after his arrest that he was looking to buy the firearm for use in his role as a police officer. The attempted purchase was flagged by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which coordinated with ICE to make the arrest.

ICE said Evans lawfully entered the United States through Miami International Airport on Sept. 24, 2023, but overstayed his visa. He had been scheduled to depart a week later, but never boarded the flight.

Evans’s arrest has sparked a dispute between federal authorities and the Old Orchard Beach Police Department.

Police Chief Elise Chard defended the department, saying federal officials had previously confirmed that Evans was legally permitted to work in the United States.

The town had submitted Evans’s information through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) E-Verify program before his hiring, according to Chard. E-Verify is an online system that allows employers to confirm whether prospective employees are authorized to work legally in the country.

“Simply stated, had the federal government flagged his information the town would not have hired Mr. Evans,” Chard said. “The Old Orchard Beach Police Department does not knowingly employ undocumented immigrants or those living in the country unlawfully, and we go to great lengths to verify the employment eligibility of all applicants. To assert otherwise about our police department is simply not true or accurate.”

Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said that the town should have done more to verify Evans’s status.

“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,” McLaughlin said in a statement in July to WMTW, an ABC affiliate in Portland, Maine. “The Old Orchard Beach Police Department’s reckless reliance on E-Verify to justify arming an illegal alien, Jon Luke Evans violates federal law, and does not absolve them of their failure to conduct basic background checks to verify legal status.”

Old Orchard Beach Police said on Monday that it was aware of reports that Evans plans to leave the country voluntarily.

“The town reiterates its ongoing commitment to meeting all state and federal laws regarding employment,” Chard said. “We will continue to rely on the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form and the E-Verify database to confirm employment eligibility.”

ICE and DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The DHS is offering $1,000 stipend to illegal immigrants who deport themselves.