Federal immigration authorities apprehended a law enforcement officer in Maine, contractions to his department's assertion that the Department of Homeland Security gave clearance for the officer to continue his service in the police force.
In a controversial turn of events, the Old Orchard Beach Police Department in Maine has come under scrutiny for its hiring practices, following the arrest of Jon-Luke Evans, a Jamaican national, on charges of attempting to unlawfully purchase a firearm.
According to reports, Evans was hired as a part-time summer reserve officer in May. He completed the standard hiring process, which included background checks, immigration forms, and training. However, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has stated that the department's reliance on E-Verify to justify Evans' employment may have violated federal law.
McLaughlin asserted that while E-Verify is designed to confirm employment eligibility, it does not absolve employers from their duty to verify lawful employment status. She claimed that the department showed "reckless reliance" on E-Verify, as Evans was allegedly an illegal alien who had overstayed his visa.
ICE claims that Evans entered the country lawfully on September 24, 2023, but overstayed his visa when he failed to depart a week later. This would make his employment by the police department a violation of federal employment eligibility laws.
The Police Chief, Elise Chard, insists that the department complied with all required procedures and trusted DHS’s clearance via E-Verify. She stated that they would not have hired or armed someone not vetted and approved. However, ICE criticized the department for knowingly employing someone unlawfully present and providing him with a firearm.
The Town Manager, Diana Asanza, defended the police department's hiring practices, questioning the reliability of the federal electronic verification system if it cannot be trusted to verify documents and employment eligibility.
The attempted gun purchase triggered an alert to ATF agents, who worked with ICE to make the arrest. Evans' resume, reviewed by ABC News, shows a four-month stint at a Waffle House in South Carolina from May 2022 to September 2022, over a year before DHS claims Evans entered the country lawfully.
In his resume, Evans stated that he is a trained agricultural educator and was seeking to transition his skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and environmental conservation to a career in law enforcement. It is important to note that in the state of Maine, some noncitizens who are in the country legally are allowed to work as law enforcement officers.
However, reserve officers, like Evans, are not allowed to bring their issued firearm home or purchase their own firearm to use as part of their employment. This case highlights the importance of thorough employer diligence in verifying document authenticity and lawful status, as required by federal regulations.
DHS did not respond to questions about Evans' employment history, and ABC News has not independently verified Evans' immigration status. The Old Orchard Beach Police Department has not commented further on the matter.
[1] ABC News, "ICE Arrests Jamaican National Accused of Trying to Buy Gun in Maine", July 26, 2023. [2] The Portland Press Herald, "Police Department Under Fire for Hiring Alleged Illegal Immigrant", July 27, 2023. [3] The Bangor Daily News, "ICE Criticizes Old Orchard Beach Police Department for Hiring Alleged Illegal Immigrant", July 28, 2023. [4] The Washington Post, "Federal Authorities Question Old Orchard Beach Police Department's Hiring Practices", July 29, 2023.
- This controversial incident involving the Old Orchard Beach Police Department's hiring of Jon-Luke Evans, a Jamaican national, has sparked broader discussions in the realms of general-news and politics, as DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin and ICE have raised concerns that the department's reliance on E-Verify might have violated federal law regarding crime-and-justice.
- The questionable hiring practices of the Old Orchard Beach Police Department, as seen in the case of Jon-Luke Evans, have brought into focus the need for employers to exercise due diligence in verifying document authenticity and lawful status, in order to adhere to federal regulations and maintain trust in the crime-and-justice and general-news sectors.
