News Summary
Jon Luke Evans, a Jamaican national working as an illegal reserve police officer in Biddeford, Maine, was arrested by ICE for attempting to unlawfully purchase a firearm. Following an investigation, concerns were raised about his hiring by the Old Orchard Beach Police Department, especially regarding immigration status verification. This incident highlights significant issues related to public safety and the effectiveness of immigration enforcement in sensitive positions like law enforcement.
Biddeford, Maine – Jon Luke Evans, a Jamaican national serving as an illegal reserve police officer, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after attempting to purchase a firearm unlawfully. The arrest took place last week in Biddeford, following an investigation by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston, in collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
ICE’s acting field office director for Boston criticized the Old Orchard Beach Police Department for hiring Evans, emphasizing the serious implications of allowing an illegal immigrant access to a firearm while on duty. Evans had been employed with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department as a reserve officer after passing background checks and receiving necessary training.
Evans entered the United States legally on September 24, 2023, with a visa that required him to leave by October 1, 2023. However, he did not board his scheduled flight on that date, thereby violating his visa status. During the investigation, Evans reportedly admitted to ICE agents that he sought to purchase a firearm for use in his capacity as a police officer.
Records show that Evans was hired by the Old Orchard Beach Police Department in May. His employment was contingent on the verification of his immigration status through the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify Program, which initially confirmed that he was authorized to work in the U.S. The verification process was completed on May 12, 2025, with Evans’ Employment Authorization Document set to expire in March 2030. Maine law allows non-citizens with work permits to serve in law enforcement, and Evans was classified as a seasonal, part-time reserve officer with no legal access to firearms outside of his duty hours.
Following the incident, Police Chief Elise Chard expressed concern about the reliance on federal verification systems, noting that the department was not directly informed of Evans’ arrest. In light of these events, the Old Orchard Beach Police Department announced that it would conduct an internal review of Evans’ hiring and employment protocols to ensure compliance with federal laws.
This arrest is part of a broader trend of ICE focusing on public safety by identifying and removing individuals who violate immigration laws and may pose safety risks in sensitive positions. This situation echoes a similar case from April, when ICE arrested another individual, Gratien Milandou Wamba, a Congolese national working as a corrections officer, for the same offense of attempting to purchase a firearm unlawfully.
Evans’ arrest raises significant questions about the hiring processes for police departments and the effectiveness of immigration verification systems. The events highlight the importance of maintaining strict standards in law enforcement to protect public safety and the integrity of police work.
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Additional Resources
- Fox News
- Wikipedia: Illegal immigration in the United States
- NBC News
- Google Search: ICE arrest police officer
- AP News
- Google Scholar: Immigration and law enforcement
- Bangor Daily News
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Police
- Portland Press Herald
- Google News: Jon Luke Evans firearm arrest
