WILMINGTON– Today, Governor Matt Meyer signed four bills related to immigration and protecting vulnerable communities: HB 142, HB 152, HB 153, and HB 182. Governor Meyer was joined by Lt. Governor Kyle Evans Gay, Attorney General Kathy Jennings, Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown, Senate President Pro Tempore David Sokola, primary bills sponsors Rep. Mara Gorman, Sen. Marie Pinkney, and Rep. Josue Ortega, as well as Rony Baltazar-Lopez, Vice Chair of the Delaware Hispanic Commission, and many state and local activists and community members.

“Every Delawarean has the fundamental right to live in a secure, respectful, and inclusive community,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “That’s why we’re taking meaningful steps to address outdated laws and private‑enforcement loopholes. These reforms are about recommitting to being a state of neighbors and working toward better, safer communities for Delaware residents.”

“Delaware is privileged to have some of the best law enforcement in the country—as AG, I know that for a fact,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “These bills solidify the sacred bond of protection that law enforcement has with the people it is sworn to serve—ensuring that everyone, no matter where they are born, feels safe calling police, and ensuring that the men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting Delawareans’ safety can do just that.”

“The bills signed today take a critical step forward by recognizing that public safety is best served when arrests are made by trained professionals accountable to the law, not by untrained civilians acting on instinct, emotion, or prejudice,” said Rep. Mara Gorman. “These are measures that will protect our neighbors, community members, and law enforcement officers, and I appreciate my colleagues and Governor Meyer for swiftly passing and signing them.”

“The bills signed by Governor Meyer today mark a significant step forward in making our communities safer,” said Sen. Marie Pinkney. “Just as importantly, they also reaffirm Delaware’s commitment to a justice system rooted in fairness, transparency, and trust.”

House Bill 142, sponsored by Rep. Mara Gorman and Sen. Marie Pinkney, removes the authority for private individuals to execute warrantless arrests in Delaware when the accused is charged with a felony in another state. It also eliminates an obsolete provision allowing officers to command assistance from private persons for out‑of‑state arrests

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House Bill 152, sponsored by Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown, Rep. Mara Gorman, Sen. Eizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman, Sen. Russ Huxtable, Sen. Gerald Hocker, Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, and Sen. Marie Pinkney, expands the state’s impersonation statute to criminalize impersonating a federal officer. Current law prohibits impersonation of state and local law enforcement, firefighters, and EMTs. The bill clarifies the definition of “law‑enforcement official” to ensure federal agents are covered.

House Bill 153, sponsored by Rep. Mara Gorman and Sen. Marie Pinkney, abolishes the “Citizen’s Arrest,” prohibiting individuals without explicit statutory authority—such as private detectives—from making arrests or detaining others. This effectively bans outdated “citizen’s arrest” provisions and reinforces the exclusive authority of sworn law enforcement.

House Bill 182, sponsored by Reps. Mara Gorman and Josue Ortega, as well as Sens. Marie Pinkney and Tizzy Lockman, bans Delaware law enforcement agencies from entering into 287g or other data-sharing agreements with federal immigration authorities. State and local law enforcement are not trained to enforce federal immigration laws, and entering into such agreements takes resources away from essential public safety duties. Collaborations on other public safety matters remain permitted.

“Over the past several months, I’ve heard from many people in our community who are genuinely afraid for their families, for their safety, and for what comes next,” said Rep. Josue Ortega. “I’m hopeful that the bills signed today bring some peace of mind and show all Delawareans that we’re ready to take action to protect the people we serve.”

“In our current political climate, there are Delawareans in every community who are afraid of racial profiling,” said Sen. Tizzy Lockman. “House Bill 182 is about increasing trust between the public and law enforcement. Our local police departments should be left to focus on community policing and building relationships in the precincts that they serve — not enforcing federal immigration law.”

For additional photos from the signing, click here.

For additional questions or to set up an interview with Governor Matt Meyer please email govcomm@delaware.gov.

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