ICE's arrest of a Maine police officer raises new questions about E-Verify [View all]

[struggle4progress]

Aug 29, 2025 12:53 PM EDT

OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine (AP) — The case of a Maine police officer arrested by immigration authorities even though he was vetted by a government system called “E-Verify” has raised questions about what employers can do to make sure they’re employing people who can legally work.

E-Verify is an online system that compares information entered by an employer from an employee’s documents with records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration. It’s used to determine the employment eligibility of citizens and noncitizens.

Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin accused Old Orchard Beach, Maine, of “reckless reliance” on the E-Verify program when it hired Jamaica national Jon Luke Evans, who was later detained and agreed to leave the country earlier this month.

But it’s the government’s own program. And experts say there’s not a whole lot more employers can do in terms of vetting ...

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/employers-have-used-e-verify-for-years-ices-arrest-of-a-maine-police-officer-raises-new-questions