A Jamaican national, Jon Luke Evans, was arrested in Maine on July 25, 2025, after serving as a reserve police officer while allegedly being in the United States 🇺🇸 without legal status and trying to buy a firearm. This case has raised urgent questions about police hiring, immigration checks, and the reliability of federal employment systems.
Evans entered the United States 🇺🇸 legally at Miami International Airport in September 2023 but did not leave when his visa expired a week later. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), this made his stay unlawful. Despite this, The Old Orchard Beach Police Department in Maine hired Evans as a reserve police officer in May 2025. Reserve officers in Maine must pass background, physical, and medical checks and are issued service weapons for duty, which they must return after each shift.
The situation came to light when Jon Luke Evans tried to buy a firearm for his police duties. This attempt triggered an alert about his immigration status, leading ICE and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to arrest him. ICE’s acting Field Office Director, Patricia H. Hyde, criticized the hiring, saying, “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.”
The Old Orchard Beach Police Department disputes ICE’s claims. They say Evans passed all required checks and that they used the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) E-Verify system, which confirmed his eligibility to work. According to the department, E-Verify showed Evans had an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) valid until March 2030. Police Chief Elise Chard said, “We are distressed and deeply concerned about this apparent error on the part of the federal government.”
Maine law allows non-citizens with valid work authorization to serve as police officers. However, this case exposes possible flaws in the E-Verify system and communication between federal and local agencies. The Maine Legislature is already considering bills to clarify how state and local police should work with federal immigration authorities.
For law enforcement agencies, this case means more careful checks for non-citizen applicants and possible changes to hiring rules. Non-citizen applicants may now face more risks, even if they pass initial federal checks. Federal agencies like DHS and ICE are expected to review their procedures to prevent similar incidents.
The Old Orchard Beach Police Department has started an internal investigation, and ICE is reviewing how Evans passed E-Verify. Lawmakers and advocacy groups are debating the best way forward, with some calling for clearer rules and better communication.
As reported by VisaVerge.com, legal experts say this case highlights the limits of automated systems like E-Verify and the need for better checks, especially for public safety jobs. For official updates and resources, readers can visit the ICE Newsroom.
The results of these investigations and possible new laws could affect how police departments in Maine and across the United States 🇺🇸 hire and check non-citizen officers in the future.
Learn Today
Reserve Police Officer → A part-time law enforcement officer supporting police duties, requiring special checks and weapon handling rules.
E-Verify → A federal online system that employers use to confirm an employee’s legal work eligibility in the US.
Employment Authorization Document (EAD) → A government-issued card proving a non-citizen’s right to legally work in the United States.
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) → US federal agency enforcing immigration laws and investigating immigration violations including status and work eligibility.
ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) → Federal agency regulating firearms and explosives, assisting in enforcement and investigations.
This Article in a Nutshell
Jon Luke Evans served illegally as a reserve officer in Maine despite visa expiration. His firearm purchase attempt triggered ICE arrest, exposing flaws in E-Verify and hiring checks, prompting investigations and legislative reconsiderations for police non-citizen employment processes nationwide.
— By VisaVerge.com
