Gov. Meyer signs legislation bolstering immigrant protection

Milford, Del. – On Thursday, Gov. Matt Meyer signed three bills at Avenue United Methodist Church which supporters say will bolster protections for immigrants in Delaware.

“For generations, immigrants have helped build Delaware by strengthening our workforce, starting businesses, raising families, and contributing to the communities they call home,” Delaware Office of New Americans Director Rony Baltazar-Lopez said. “These bills recognize that when immigrants feel safe and protected, they are better able to fully participate in the economic, civic, and social life of our state.”

Meyer was joined by local leaders and Reps. Alonna Berry (D-District 20) and Claire Snyder-Hall (D-District 14) and State Sens. Kyra Hoffner (D-District 14) and Laura Sturgeon (D-District 4) to sign House Bills 150, 368 and 94. HB 150 prevents civil arrests at state courthouse or the Office of the Delaware Industrial Accident Board and HB 368 prevents state law enforcement from detaining people solely on civil immigration warrants. HB 94 prevents state and local law enforcement from directly participating partnering with federal agencies in civil immigration enforcement activities at “child serving entities, institutions of higher education, places of worship, and healthcare facilities unless an exigent circumstance exists,” according to officials.

“We will not collaborate with this type of anti-American activity, and we do everything we can to protect people,” Meyer said, saying ICE’s operations are “cruel and morally wrong” in Spanish, adding that he is working with other governors to find solutions to the “crisis.” “Necesitamos derretir el hielo. We need to melt the ice.”

Meyer remarked in Spanish and in English the obstacles his own family had to overcome when emigrating to the United States, fleeing religious persecution.

“Hace muchos años, mas de cien años, mí abuelo vino aquí. A little more than 100 years ago, my grandfather came to this country. Cuando él vino aquí … no hablaba inglés, su padre … mi bisabuelo, no hablaba inglés. My grandfather, when he came here, he didn’t speak English. His parents, my great grandparents, didn’t speak English. They came to a small town in Pennsylvania, and cuando ellos vinieron aquí, no vinieron un gran sueno americano. They didn’t come here with great American dreams. They actually came here because they were fleeing harm because of their religion … their nephews, their nieces, their aunts, their uncles were getting killed because of their religion. They came to this country simply because it was a safe space.”

Meyer said the legislation does not prevent law enforcement from carrying out operations to address those who have been convicted of violent, “serious” crimes. However, he said, those who are most vulnerable are not those who have committed violent crimes.

“If they’ve committed any crime at all, it is that they were born poor. They were born into poverty, and simply want to realize the same opportunity that my grandfather was able to realize,” he said. “Keep in mind, we’re talking about civil immigration arrests. Often, when I hear people in Washington talking, they’re talking about these people committed a crime. A crime is different than a civil immigration violation.”

Meyer said Hoffner said she hoped the legislation would mean less families would be split apart due to deportation of family members within mixed status families.

“I don’t think I see one Native American in the room, so we’re all immigrants,” she said. She also confirmed to WMDT that HB 94 would apply to child care and daycare facilities in addition to schools and uniersities.

For Avenue United Methodist Church Pastor Neyda Albarran, who is originally from Puerto Rico, the signing of the legislation at the church is especially important in light of how many in the immigrant community have felt afraid to come to their places of worship for fear of arrest.

“We believe that people should be able to worship freely without fear and without interruptions,” she said. Albarran, who was an educator for 10 years, said being able to respect the sanctity of places of education  and worship was crucial. “What a beautiful thing that the United States began and continues to support the freedom of worship, and so as we have new Americans in their process, they should be able to find a place where they can worship, where they can study, where they can grow, and become amazing citizens right here in the United States of America.”

María Gloria Sutton is Bolivian and a Milford resident, having lived in Delaware for over 45 years.

“Este país da la bienvenida a todos, pero los últimos años, esto se ha puesto muy serio y da mucho miedo,” Sutton said, saying this country is welcoming to everyone but these last years are very scary. “Y este momento en que estamos tiendo el gobernador Meyer firmando esta nueva legislación para los imigrantes, es algo increíble. Como residente de Delaware, me siento súper orgullosa.” And this moment in which we are having Gov. Meyer signing this new legislation for immigrants, is something incredible. As a resident of Delaware, I feel so proud.