A reserve officer from the Old Orchard Beach (Maine) Police Department has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement for living in the United States on an expired visa. The department says it was told the man was legal by the E-Verify program.

Jon Luke Evans, a citizen of Jamaica, was taken into custody on Friday (July 25, 2025).

Old Orchard Beach Police Chief Elise Chard said in a statement that Evans was hired in May as a “summer reserve officer.”

Chard said Evans was required to complete an I-9 federal immigration and work form to verify he was legally authorized to work.  

“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.

“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.

Maine allows legal residents to serve in law enforcement.