Federal officials said Monday that a Maine police officer who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had consented to leave the country voluntarily.
On July 25, Jon Luke Evans, a Jamaican reserve officer with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department, was arrested as part of broader immigration enforcement efforts.
Evans’ request for voluntary departure was granted by a judge, thus he will be free to left the nation without going through formal deportation procedures.
ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were contacted by Newsweek for comment.
Why It Matters
In keeping with his campaign promise of mass deportations, President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to deport millions of unauthorized immigrants. Some immigrants with legitimate documents, such as green cards and visas, have also been held alongside individuals who are in the country illegally.
Due to claims of overreach, ICE has come under fire, igniting discussions on the agency’s methods’ legality and potential human costs.
What To Know
After Old Orchard Beach officials used DHS’s E-Verify program to confirm Evans’ job authorization, he was employed as a reserve officer. Federal officials at the time verified Evans’ eligibility to work in the United States. ICE subsequently claimed that he had overstayed his visa and made an illegal attempt to purchase a handgun.
Evans acknowledged that he attempted to buy the firearm to use in the course of his police work, according to ICE. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received a notification about the intended sale and worked with ICE to make an arrest.
Evans legitimately entered the country on September 24, 2023, via Miami International Airport, according to ICE, but he overstayed after missing his flight set to depart on October 1.
In addition to violating U.S. immigration law, Jon Luke Evans made an unlawful attempt to buy a handgun. In July, Patricia H. Hyde, acting Field Office Director for ICE ERO Boston, revealed that Evans was working as a local law enforcement officer.
According to WMTW-TV, Evans is free to depart the nation at his own cost under the terms of the voluntary departure arrangement.
Before being transferred to an ICE facility in Burlington, Massachusetts, Evans was initially detained at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Rhode Island.
What People Are Saying
Patricia H. Hyde of ICE blasted the OldOrchard Beach Police agency’s hiring of Evans in a statement released in July. “If it weren’t so tragic, it would be hilarious for a police department to hire an illegal alien and illegally issue him a firearm while he was on duty.” In order to hire an illegal foreigner, our police department willfully violated the same law they are tasked with upholding. By apprehending and eliminating criminal alien threats from our New England communities, ICE Boston will continue to put public safety first.
What Happens Next
According to the conditions of the voluntary departure order, Evans is anticipated to depart the United States shortly.
Federal verification systems’ dependability has come under scrutiny as a result of this case. Elise Chard, the chief of police of Old Orchard Beach, defended her department by claiming that prior to Evans’ hire, federal authorities had verified his work permit.
The Associated Press provided reporting for this article.
