Maine Reserve Police Officer Arrested by ICE Agrees to Leave US

Former Maine police officer Jon Luke Evans, a Jamaican citizen who overstayed his visa, has agreed to leave the country after being arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in July.

The Details: ICE said Evans legally entered the US in September 2023, but failed to leave when his visa expired, and did not take a scheduled flight in October 2023. He became a seasonal reserve officer for the Old Orchard Beach Police Department in May, and was taken into custody after trying to purchase a firearm for work. In a press release, Elise Chard, Police Chief at the Old Orchard Beach Police Department, said the department “does not knowingly employ undocumented immigrants” and that it goes “to great lengths to verify the employment eligibility of all applicants.”

For Context: Homeland Security confirmed Evans was authorized to legally work in the town as a seasonal reserve on May 12, 2025 until March 19, 2030. According to the Old Orchard Beach Police Department, reserve officers are not allowed to bring department-issued firearms home, or allowed to purchase or carry any other firearms. To become a reserve officer, Evans had to submit several federal documents, including his Jamaican birth certificate and passport, Massachusetts driver’s license, and a US Social Security Card.

How the Media Covered It: New York Post (Lean Right bias) focused on Evans’ immigration status, saying that he must admit his unlawful presence, forgo legal status applications, and prove he could leave voluntarily. The outlet also quoted Homeland Security’s Tricia McLaughlin, who criticized the police department’s “reckless reliance” on E-Verify, and argued it should have done more vetting. Straight Arrow News (Center) focused on the arrest by ICE, and the Old Orchard Police’s response to accusations. It also included the process Evans went through to become authorized to work in the US. The Independent (Lean Left) emphasized Evan’s role as a police officer, his authorization to work in the US, and the legal steps for his departure. Both outlets included photos of Evans receiving his police badge.

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