Meyer Creates Office of New Americans Amid Delaware Immigrant Hardship

(DELAWARE) Governor Matt Meyer on November 3, 2025 launched the Delaware Office of New Americans, a new unit housed in the Department of State that will focus on citizenship assistance, language access, workforce development, and civic engagement for immigrants. The move comes during a period of mounting anxiety among immigrant families in towns and cities across Delaware, where advocates and attorneys say federal raids and arrests have upended daily life and frayed trust in public institutions.

Rony Baltazar-Lopez, a former Director of Policy and Communications at the Department of State and the son of immigrants, was named the inaugural director.

“As the son of immigrants, I am deeply honored to lead the establishment of the Office of New Americans. Immigrants are vital to the strength of our economy, the richness of our culture, and the fabric of our communities. It’s time we fully recognize and support their contributions,” said Baltazar-Lopez.
The appointment signals a push to install leadership with policy experience and personal stakes in the mission, as the Office of New Americans begins shaping programs and outreach in the coming weeks.

Officials say the timing reflects urgent conditions. State data indicate that Delaware is home to approximately 119,000 immigrants, about 11.5% of the population. Roughly 79,000 immigrants are in the workforce and 6,900 of them are entrepreneurs, contributing an estimated $1.4 billion a year to Delaware’s economy. Those economic ties have hardened the case for targeted support programs, even as families worry about basic safety and mobility amid stepped-up federal enforcement.

Community accounts describe a stark shift since January 2025, when President Trump took office. Administrative ICE arrests in Delaware have risen by nearly 115% in that period, averaging 1.6 arrests each day, according to figures shared with state officials. In rural Sussex County towns like Frankford, Seaford, and Millsboro, reports of roadside stops and workplace visits have produced signs of flight and fear—abandoned cars, sudden job absences, and neighborhoods where people say they are afraid to leave their homes. Residents describe quiet routes and altered routines, with encrypted messaging apps now used to warn each other about possible ICE activity.

The Office of New Americans, based in the Department of State, is designed to meet those concerns head-on, both by helping eligible residents seek citizenship and by expanding language access so people can use government services without confusion or risk. Support for workforce development is expected to target barriers that keep skilled workers sidelined, while civic engagement efforts will try to rebuild bridges between immigrant communities and state and local agencies. By situating the office in the Department of State, the Meyer administration is tying the effort to a central hub for public-facing services and policy coordination, with the aim of embedding immigrant support in day-to-day governance. The Department detailed the office’s launch and structure on the Delaware Department of State website.

Lawyers and advocates say the moment demands more than statements of support. Xiaojuan Carrie Huang, who practices in Wilmington, said rising fear is showing up in her daily work.

“I do get a lot of phone calls from my clients or potential clients, and sometimes they do not specifically have a situation that they need us to help them with, but they just express their fear.”
Huang’s description aligns with accounts from community groups that say people have stopped driving to work, keep children home, and avoid any contact that could bring them to the attention of law enforcement—changes that echo the “abandoned cars” and shuttered routines seen in parts of Sussex County.

The state’s legal posture also shifted this summer. In July 2025, Governor Meyer signed a package of four immigration-related bills. Among them, HB 182 prohibits Delaware law enforcement agencies from entering 287(g) agreements with federal immigration authorities, which formally deputize local police to enforce federal immigration law. State leaders say the measure aims to keep local police focused on local matters and maintain cooperation in neighborhoods where many residents now hesitate to call 911, report crimes, or show up as witnesses. Backers argue the law is a practical step to prevent local-federal entanglements that can fracture trust and reduce public safety for everyone, regardless of immigration status.

Civil liberties groups quickly endorsed both the new office and the legislative guardrails. Mike Brickner, executive director of the ACLU of Delaware, said the combination sends a message about state priorities.

“For Delaware to say, ‘We’re not allowing this,’ I think is hugely important. It’s important to make sure that our local law enforcement stays focused on local issues, that they don’t lose the trust of immigrant communities, and that they are not engaged in any of this immigration work.”
Brickner’s comments reflect a broader debate now playing out in city halls and county councils across the country, as communities weigh how to respond to surges in federal enforcement without corroding relationships between residents and local authorities.

Baltazar-Lopez inherits an agenda that blends policy design with on-the-ground outreach. The Office of New Americans plans a statewide listening tour to gather detailed input from immigrant families, employers, faith leaders, and service providers. The goal is to map out where needs are most acute—whether it is access to translation in schools and hospitals, help navigating work credentials, or guidance on federal processes like naturalization. Officials say the tour will also be a test of whether people feel safe enough to speak in public forums or whether small, private meetings are needed to avoid chilling participation.

The office will coordinate closely with the Delaware Department of Justice’s Office of Immigration Assistance, a partnership meant to connect residents with accurate legal information and referrals. Coordination is expected to extend to workforce agencies and education providers so that training programs are accessible to English language learners and to workers whose prior experience or credentials are not easily recognized. By linking state resources, the Office of New Americans aims to reduce the maze that residents often face when they seek help, while keeping a line of sight on how federal enforcement patterns are affecting attendance at clinics, schools, and job centers.

Numbers from the state’s immigrant economy underscore what is at stake. With about 79,000 immigrant workers and 6,900 immigrant entrepreneurs, Delaware’s farms, small businesses, and service industries are bound to the fortunes of people who now describe a daily calculus about whether to travel, open a shop, or take a job farther from home. The $1.4 billion annual contribution cited by state officials is threaded through sectors that rely on steady labor and consumer demand; sudden absences, shuttered storefronts, or canceled shifts ripple outward quickly. Policy advisers argue that stabilizing access to services—translation lines, driver’s license information, and paths to lawful status where available—can blunt some of that turbulence.

In places like Frankford, Seaford, and Millsboro, the visible signs of disruption are feeding into broader concerns. When cars sit abandoned after traffic stops, when neighbors rely on encrypted group chats to navigate daily errands, and when parents decide a grocery run carries too much risk, the social fabric stretches thin. School attendance can dip, local economies slow, and trust in public institutions erodes. Huang’s account of clients who call “just” to talk about fear illustrates a dynamic in which legal advice is only part of what families seek; reassurance and credible information matter just as much. For the Office of New Americans, building channels where that information flows safely and consistently will be an early test.

The legislative backdrop may give the office room to operate. HB 182’s restriction on 287(g) agreements sets a clear boundary for local agencies, a line endorsed by civil liberties groups and many community leaders. Supporters argue that policy clarity at the local level can reduce confusion and rumor, particularly when federal operations are unpredictable. Brickner’s insistence that local law enforcement “stays focused on local issues” captures the thrust of Delaware’s approach: if residents believe police are not acting as immigration agents, they are more likely to report crimes, cooperate with investigations, and seek help when needed. That trust is often fragile, and advocates say it takes ongoing engagement to maintain.

For Baltazar-Lopez and his team, the work begins with listening. The planned statewide tour will surface stories that help set priorities—where language access breaks down, which workplaces need targeted training, and how civic engagement can be rebuilt when families are wary of filling out forms or attending public meetings. Coupling that outreach with partnerships in the Delaware Department of Justice and other agencies may streamline referrals so that people do not have to tell their story multiple times to different offices. Early coordination with schools, health providers, and employers could shape practical steps, from translated notices to evening clinics where families can get information without missing work.

The broader context remains complex. The nearly 115% rise in administrative ICE arrests since January 2025 and an average of 1.6 arrests per day reflect enforcement trends that the state cannot control. But within its lane, Delaware is moving to steady the ground under immigrant residents—through an Office of New Americans designed to deliver direct services, through laws like HB 182 that define local roles, and through public statements that acknowledge both the economic stakes and the human toll. As Baltazar-Lopez put it,

“Immigrants are vital to the strength of our economy, the richness of our culture, and the fabric of our communities.”
The next months will show whether a concerted state response can ease fear, rebuild trust, and keep families connected to the services and opportunities that help communities function.