Jon Luke Evans, a Maine police officer who was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has agreed to voluntarily depart the country.
According to WMTW-TV, Evans’ acceptance of a voluntary departure means he will be free to leave the country at his own expense in order to escape deportation.
On July 25, ICE arrested the Jamaican Old Orchard Beach Police Department reserve officer as part of the agency’s efforts to increase immigration enforcement. Federal authorities had previously told town and police department officials that Evans was legally permitted to work in the United States, according to the Associated Press.
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An ICE representative informed The Associated Press via phone on August 18 that a judge had granted Evans voluntary departure and that he may leave as soon as that day. The spokesman did not provide any other information concerning Evans’ situation.
According to ICE’s detainee locator website, Evans was being held at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, Rhode Island. However, Evans was moved to an ICE prison in Burlington, Massachusetts, according to a Wyatt spokesperson. ICE officials did not explain why and it is also not clear whether Evans was represented by a counsel.
In July, ICE officers stated that Evans overstayed his visa and attempted to buy a firearm illegally. Evans’ arrest sparked a conflict between ICE and Old Orchard Beach authorities.
According to Police Chief Elise Chard, the department received notification from federal authorities that Evans was legally allowed to work in the nation. The town also provided information through the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify program before Evans was hired.
Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary of homeland security, then accused the town of “reckless reliance” on the department’s E-Verify service.
Employers can use the online E-Verify system to determine whether a candidate is legally permitted to work in the United States.
According to Chard, the community is aware of reports that Evans plans to leave the U.S. on his own.
“The town reiterates its ongoing commitment to meeting all state and federal laws regarding employment,” Chard said in a statement. “We will continue to rely on the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form and the E-Verify database to confirm employment eligibility.”
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As reported by WMTW-TV, Evans applied to work as a seasonal reserve officer in early April 2025, according to the Old Orchard Beach Police Department and town officials. Officials said a 153-page personnel file on Evans was created during the recruiting process, which included references, medical data, driving records, educational records, copies of identity cards, background check documents, and additional information.
Evans’ application included an I-9 federal immigration and work authorisation paperwork, as well as a résumé, according to Old Orchard Beach officials. Evans also produced a Jamaican passport, a Massachusetts driver’s license, a Jamaican birth certificate, a U.S. work authorization card, a U.S. Social Security card, and evidence of college credit, the town said.
Evans was hired in accordance with the town’s established policies and procedures, which include checking the Interstate Identification Index, Maine criminal history databases, Evans’ professional and personal references, and ensuring he had a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance.
Officials from the town claimed they confirmed the authenticity of all the documents Evans submitted. Evans later passed a physical fitness test on April 21. He passed the Maine Criminal Justice Academy’s ALERT exam, which assesses applicants’ writing and comprehension abilities, on May 5.
Evans was officially appointed a reserve officer by the Old Orchard Beach Police Department on June 20 under a term set to expire on May 1, 2026.
ICE said Evans lawfully entered the U.S. at Miami International Airport in Florida on September 24, 2023. He was expected to leave the country a week later but never boarded the flight.
