ICE Boston reports that an illegal immigrant working as a police officer was arrested

Rick Sobey, Boston Herald on Jul 28, 2025

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BOSTON — An illegal immigrant working as a police officer has been arrested after he tried to buy a gun, according to ICE Boston.

ICE agents in Maine arrested Jon Luke Evans, who’s from Jamaica and was employed as a reserve police officer with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department.

Officers with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston — in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — arrested Evans last week in Biddeford.

“Jon Luke Evans not only broke U.S. immigration law, but he also illegally attempted to purchase a firearm,” Patricia Hyde, ICE ERO Boston’s acting field office director, said in a statement. “Shockingly, Evans was employed as a local law enforcement officer. 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.

“We have a police department that was knowingly breaking the very law they are charged with enforcing in order to employ an illegal alien,” Hyde added. “ICE Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien threats from our New England communities.”

The Old Orchard Police Department said in statement Monday that the Department of Homeland Security had reviewed forms associated with Evans’ hire.

“Jon Luke Evans was hired by the Old Orchard Beach Police Department in May as a summer reserve officer. As part of the standard hiring process by the Town and the Police Department, Evans was required to complete an I-9 federal immigration and work authorization form to verify that he was legally authorized to work in the United States,” Police Chief Elise Chard said.

“As part of the hiring process, the Town reviewed multiple forms of identification, including photo identification, and submitted Evans’ I-9 form to the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify Program. The Department of Homeland Security then verified that Evans was authorized to work in the U.S. The form was submitted and approved by DHS on May 12, 2025. Evans would not have been permitted to begin work as a reserve officer until and unless Homeland Security verified his status.”

According to ICE Boston, Evans admitted to ICE agents that he tried to buy the gun for his employment as a police officer with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department.

His attempt to purchase the firearm triggered an alert to ATF agents, who worked in coordination with ICE to make the arrest.

Evans lawfully entered the U.S. on Sept. 24, 2023, at Miami International Airport.

However, he violated the terms of his lawful admission when he overstayed his visa, ICE said. Evans was scheduled to depart the U.S. on Oct. 1, 2023, but he never boarded the flight.

But Chard said during Evans hiring review, “The Police Department was notified that Evans was legally permitted to work in the U.S., and his I-766 Employment Authorization Document was not set to expire until March 2030.”

Chard added that the Old Orchard Police was not even informed of Evans arrest.

“The Old Orchard Beach Police Department was never officially informed about Evans’ detention, and the department officially learned the details of the matter in a news release issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” he said.

In a similar case in April, ICE officers arrested Gratien Milandou Wamba, an illegal immigrant from Congo who was working as a correction officer. Agents with the ICE Boston Scarborough, Maine office arrested him for immigration violations after he allegedly tried to purchase a gun.

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