A shocking arrest in Maine has raised serious concerns about hiring practices and immigration enforcement within U.S. law enforcement.
In a case first reported by Fox News, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested Jon Luke Evans, a Jamaican national, for allegedly trying to illegally purchase a firearm while working as a reserve police officer in Old Orchard Beach.
The arrest was carried out by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Boston with help from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Evans' attempt to buy a firearm in Biddeford on July 25 raised red flags linked to his immigration status.
Authorities say Evans entered the U.S. legally on September 24, 2023, through Miami International Airport, under a visa that required him to leave by October 1, 2023. However, he never left and has been living in the country unlawfully since then.
During the investigation, Evans reportedly said he wanted the firearm for his duties as a reserve officer with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department. Now, ICE officials are questioning how someone without legal immigration status could have been hired by a police department — and whether he was issued a department-approved firearm.
“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.”
This isn’t the first such incident in Maine. Back in April, ICE arrested Gratien Milandou Wamba, a 32-year-old Congolese national, who was working as a corrections officer in Falmouth. He was also illegally present in the U.S. and was caught trying to buy a firearm unlawfully.
ICE spokesperson James Covington confirmed that both arrests were directly related to unlawful firearm purchase attempts by individuals violating immigration laws.
ICE has reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing immigration enforcement efforts across New England, especially in cases where individuals in sensitive public safety roles are found to be living in the U.S. illegally.
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