NEW: ICE Catches Illegal Alien Working As A Police Officer In Blue State

An illegal immigrant working as a police officer has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after he drew suspicion while trying to purchase a firearm for his new job.

The Jamaican national overstayed his visa after entering the country under the Biden administration in 2023. He had just been hired by the local police department in Old Orchard Beach, Maine.

According to ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston, Jon Luke Evans was taken into custody with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives after his immigration status was flagged during an application submitted to purchase a firearm on July 25.

During the investigation, Evans allegedly explained to federal immigrations agents that he was attempting to purchase the gun for his day job.

ICE is now questioning how the local police department bypassed federal hiring requirements to train Evans as a police officer.

“This case raises serious concerns,” said Patricia H. Hyde, acting field office director for ERO Boston. “We will continue working to ensure that individuals who violate immigration laws and pose potential threats to public safety are held accountable.”

The Old Orchard Beach Police Department countered, saying they ran Evans through the national E-Verify system while hiring him as a seasonal police officer. This included a full background check as well as physical and mental evaluations, a spokesman said.

An Employment Authorization Document presented by Evans was apparently cleared through E-Verify, leading local officials to believe he was authorized to work in the U.S. through March 2030.

“Our department and our community relied on the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify program to ensure we were meeting our obligations,” said Police Chief Elise Chard. “We are distressed and deeply concerned about this apparent error on the part of the federal government.”

Maine is one of about a dozen states that allow non-citizens with valid work visas to take jobs in law enforcement, according to Fox News. Old Orchard Beach seasonal police officers are hired for community patrolling during the summer months and do not take their department-issued firearms home with them at night, the police chief said.

In response to Evans’s arrest, the department said it has launched a thorough investigation into how he was hired and its protocols for ensuring the oversight never happens again.

“We take our legal responsibilities very seriously,” Chief Chard added. “We intend to investigate this matter thoroughly and determine what additional steps may be necessary moving forward.”

It is the second time in a year that federal immigration authorities have arrested an illegal immigrant working in Maine’s law enforcement. Another illegal immigrant was captured after he was found to be working as a corrections officer in Falmouth.