Senate committee hears testimony on bill to create Office of New Americans

The Delaware Senate Elections & Government Affairs Committee heard expert and public testimony on Senate Bill 27, legislation to establish an Office of New Americans as a central information and coordination hub for foreign‑born residents in Delaware.

Proponents said the office would help immigrants access education, workforce training, business resources and legal services, and argued it would strengthen Delaware’s economy by retaining global talent. Mike Zimmer, representing World Education Services, described the proposal as similar to offices in other states and said the model has been adopted across partisan lines: "WES and the American Immigration Council are proud to co‑convene the Office of New Americans network," Zimmer said.

Supporters placed the proposal in the context of workforce needs and economic contributions by immigrants. Ajuwavi Jackie Ajuwavan, who testified in person as an immigrant, business developer and constituent advocate, told the committee, "Establishing the Office of New Americans in Delaware is not only a moral imperative, it's not only a moral imperative, but also an economic and social necessity for Delaware's future prosperity." Granado Tello, speaking for the Hispanic American Association of Delaware and the newly formed Delaware Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the office would act as a “bridge” connecting newcomers to resources and supports.

Witnesses cited examples from other states. Zimmer noted roughly 22 states have offices of new Americans in statutory or administrative form and said recent statutory offices in Maine, North Dakota and Utah include explicit immigrant attraction efforts. Lorena Boa, who said she has worked with refugee resettlement and workforce programs and currently oversees a professional pathways program with New York State’s Office of New Americans, urged Delaware lawmakers to replicate similar coordination to address workforce shortages.

Committee members asked witnesses about existing services and fiscal implications. Witnesses said a patchwork of community organizations currently provides targeted services to various immigrant groups but that no single state office coordinates across needs, languages and agencies. Committee discussion also touched on whether the governor’s administration supports the concept; a committee member said the governor had publicly supported creating such an office during the campaign, but no budgetary commitment was recorded in committee testimony.

No formal motion or vote on Senate Bill 27 was recorded during the hearing; the committee concluded the testimony and proceeded to the next agenda item.