Overview
- Evans remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings after his July 25 ATF-triggered firearm purchase attempt.
- The police department relied on DHS E-Verify approval of Evans’s work authorization on May 12, 2025, as part of his seasonal hiring.
- Chief Elise Chard called the verification error distressing and opened an internal investigation into department hiring and notification protocols.
- Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that E-Verify does not absolve employers from verifying legal work status.
- A state representative urged a federal review of the E-Verify system and clearer advance notice requirements for local law enforcement actions.