State Rep. Mara Gorman (D- New Castle) plans to focus her efforts on advancing the bills she’s already filed this session related to limiting federal immigration enforcement.
Last week she pulled back two bills, HB 366 and HB 367, from the package of legislation she introduced. These proposed requirements for law enforcement to display identification and limitations on facial coverings.
But the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued an injunction on similar rules passed in California, shortly after Gorman introduced the legislation on the House floor. She said the 9th Circuit Court in is more liberal than the 3rd Circuit Court, where challenges to Delaware laws would be heard.
“I felt like continuing to pursue them was not advisable,” Gorman said. “Which isn't to say that the fight for having ICE remove their masks and show positive identification when they're interacting with Delawareans isn't still a goal, but I didn't feel that goal was achievable using those two bills.”
New Jersey also enacted a law addressing face coverings and IDs, and the Trump administration announced it plans to sue the state. Gorman wants to see how these proceedings go.
The rest of session will be dedicated to her other immigration legislation: HB 368, HB 150, and HB 151.
HB 368 directs law enforcement not to comply with unofficial or nonjudicial detainer requests from ICE. It does include exceptions, “for a person who has been convicted of a violent felony, is a convicted sex offender, has 3 or more convictions for driving under the influence, or is a perpetrator of domestic violence.”
Gorman said she consulted with State Police, the Council of Chiefs of Police, and the State Department of Correction, who she described as “not particularly supportive” of the measure.
“But I will add that I did meet with them,” she said. “I met with them when I created all of these bills.”
She said the list of criminal exceptions in HB368 comes directly from law enforcement feedback. HB 368 is up for consideration in the House Judiciary Committee. HB 150 is ready for consideration in the Senate Committee. HB 151 is the closest, ready for consideration on the senate floor.
