As a Community Health Worker, I have the privilege of working closely with immigrant families every day. I am trusted with their stories, their fears, their struggles, and sometimes the most difficult moments of their lives.
For too many immigrants and their loved ones, fear and uncertainty have become part of everyday life.
I have seen how this fear affects families in ways that many people may never fully understand. Going to a doctor's appointment, taking a child to school, going grocery shopping, attending church, going to court, or simply going to bed at night can come with the fear that Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, could separate a family.
Parents are preparing their children for situations that no parent should ever have to imagine. They give their children the phone number of an immigration lawyer, information about their consulate, and instructions about which family member to call if one day they do not arrive to pick them up from school.
No parent should have to prepare their child for the possibility that they may not come home.
As a Community Health Worker, I see the impact that this fear has on the health and well-being of the families we serve. People may become afraid to seek medical care, attend important appointments, report crimes, ask for help, or access resources that they and their children need. Some families become afraid to leave their homes altogether.
Fear does not affect just one individual. It affects entire families. It affects children who worry about whether their parents will come home. It affects spouses who fear receiving a phone call that could change their lives forever. It affects communities when people become afraid to trust the very systems and institutions that are supposed to serve and protect them.
This is why this issue is personal to me.
My work as a Community Health Worker is about building trust. It is about connecting people to healthcare, resources, information, and support. It is about meeting people where they are and helping them navigate systems that can often be difficult and overwhelming.
But it becomes increasingly difficult to build trust when the people we serve are living with the constant fear of being separated from their families.
This fear and uncertainty are major consequences of the federal government's mass deportation system. Billions of federal dollars have been directed toward immigration enforcement, leading to the hiring of more agents and the expansion of enforcement practices and technology that have created fear in communities across the country.
Delaware is not immune.
Our immigrant communities have raised serious concerns about encounters with ICE agents and reports of aggressive and violent actions, including broken windshields, forced entry into homes, and the use of force against individuals. At the same time, immigrant families and advocates have expressed concern about cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement. From Camden to Laurel to Seaford, there has been a growing concern that Delaware resources and law enforcement agencies have been used in ways that assist ICE.
Despite repeated promises that local law enforcement does not engage in civil immigration enforcement, the experiences and concerns shared by immigrant communities demonstrate that there is still more work to do. For years, immigrants, advocates, Community Health Workers, and allies have spoken out and made one thing clear - assisting in the separation of immigrant families is not a Delaware value.
Through sustained advocacy and the courage of community members, Delaware has begun taking important steps to limit cooperation between ICE and state and local law enforcement. In 2025, Delaware banned 287(g) agreements, helping prevent local law enforcement from becoming an extension of ICE in our communities. And more recently, important legislation was signed into law to further limit the use of ICE detainer requests and restrict law enforcement assistance with immigration enforcement at vital community spaces, including places of worship, medical facilities, schools, and courthouses.
These are important steps. They demonstrate what can happen when immigrant communities, advocates, and allies come together and refuse to remain silent. But I also know that legislation does not immediately erase the fear that families are living with today.
There is still much more work to do because law enforcement has shown us that internal policies alone are not enough. We need clear laws, accountability, and protections that communities can trust. Delaware must
- Pass laws preventing law enforcement from assisting ICE unless there is a valid judicial warrant or court order,
- Require that law enforcement ask to see a valid, judicial warrant before assisting ICE, and
- Strengthen protections to prevent state agencies and law enforcement from sharing information or resources with the Department of Homeland Security, unless there is a valid judicial warrant or court order.
As a Community Health Worker, I know that policies have a direct impact on the health, safety, and well-being of the people we serve.
Health is more than what happens inside a doctor's office.
Health includes safety.
Health includes stability.
Health means being able to take your child to school without fear.
Health means being able to go to a doctor's appointment without worrying that your family could be separated.
Health means being able to attend a place of worship, go to court, or ask for help without fear.
Every person deserves to feel safe enough to seek help.
Every child deserves to feel secure that their parents will come home.
Every family deserves the opportunity to live with dignity.
We are now at a critical moment in determining the future of our country and our state. The decisions we make, the policies we support, and the leaders we elect will help determine what kind of Delaware we become.
Will we continue to allow our neighbors to live in fear?
Will we spend months debating while families continue to experience uncertainty and separation?
Or will we stand alongside immigrant communities and make it clear that Delaware will not cooperate with immigration enforcement unless there is a valid court order or judicial warrant?
Delaware is not powerless.
Standing up may feel scary. Speaking out may feel uncomfortable. But silence also has consequences.
As a Community Health Worker, I have seen the strength, resilience, and contributions of immigrant families. I have seen parents work hard to provide for their children. I have seen families support their neighbors. I have seen community members continue showing up for one another even during times of tremendous fear and uncertainty.
That is why I believe Delaware can do better.
We can build a safer and more just Delaware when we listen to the people most affected, when we protect families, and when we hold our leaders accountable.
We need leaders who are willing to be bold, compassionate, and fearless in standing up for all Delawareans.
But meaningful change will only happen if we all get involved.
Those who are eligible to vote must vote. Those who cannot vote can still organize, educate their neighbors, share information, attend community meetings, contact elected officials, and encourage others to participate.
Our voices matter.
Our stories matter.
Our families matter.
This is not simply an immigration issue.
As a Community Health Worker, I see it as a health issue.
It is a family issue.
It is a community issue.
And it is a human issue.
We have a choice.
We can allow fear to continue defining the lives of immigrant families, or we can stand together and build a Delaware where every person and every family can live with dignity, safety, stability, and hope.
