Maine Police Officer Faces Voluntary Departure After Immigration Arrest Over Visa Overstay

A police officer from the Old Orchard Beach Police Department Reserve, Jon Luke Evans of Jamaica, has agreed to voluntarily depart the United States following his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 25. This decision comes after a judge granted Evans’ request for voluntary departure, allowing him to leave the country as early as the same day.

ICE’s enforcement actions led to Evans’ apprehension, but town and police department officials had previously been informed by federal authorities that Evans was legally authorized to work in the U.S. The dispute between ICE and Old Orchard Beach officials arose due to conflicting statements regarding the validity of the town’s reliance on the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify program for employment verification purposes.

E-Verify is an online system that enables employers to confirm the legal work status of potential employees in the U.S. Old Orchard Beach officials have reaffirmed their commitment to adhering to all state and federal laws regarding employment, stating they will continue to utilize the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form and the E-Verify database for employment eligibility confirmation.

As of Monday, ICE’s detainee lookup website indicated that Evans was being held at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, Rhode Island. However, a representative from Wyatt confirmed that Evans had been transferred to an ICE facility in Burlington, Massachusetts. ICE officials did not respond to requests for comment regarding this discrepancy. It is currently unknown if Evans has legal representation, as messages left for him at the detention facility remain unanswered.

Previously reported by WMTW-TV, Evans’ voluntary departure agreement means he can leave the U.S. at his own expense to avoid deportation proceedings.