Delaware General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tuesday, January 19, 2026
Might be a one-day session, at least in the House, this week.
Gov. Meyer is set to deliver his State Of The State Address on Thursday. Meaning, there might not be additional business conducted that day. Since Wednesday is reserved exclusively for committee meetings, it’s possible that Tuesday might be the only House session day this week. Will they make the most of it? I report, you decide—looks like the main bill of note is the one designed to protect you from being treated by licensed robot doctors. Which, I’m sure, is a concern that we all share. (Of course, these AI creations come equipped with Musk’s ‘Grok’ software, so perhaps the concern is justified.)
Only one bill on today’s Senate Agenda. It’s the one designed to codify Christiana Care’s victory in court that enables them to be less forthcoming on how they’re reaping huge margins while providing minimal care. Depressing.
Hey, as long as I’ve got the time, we might as well discuss a Senate Concurrent Resolution that has been dropped from the Agenda. SCR 123 (Seigfried) ‘urges the Delaware River and Bay Authority to scrutinize existing contracts and any future contracts with Avelo Airlines and other businesses that enter into contracts with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to fly detainees without proper due process protections.’ A companion piece of legislation, SB 207, ‘disqualifies commercial airlines from receiving the aviation jet fuel tax exemption for economic development if they transport ICE detainees for deportation without meeting standards regarding presentation of judicial warrants and due process.’ The bill remains in the Senate Executive Committee, likely not to be worked since Avelo claims that they’re now out of the deportation-for-profit business.
However, Sarah Mueller of WHYY wrote an article that makes me think that both the bill and resolution should be worked. Even if Avelo wasn’t lying through its corporate teeth when it claimed it never ‘had a contract to help deport immigrants’, it admittedly deported immigrants.
From Mueller’s story:
In a statement, DRBA spokesperson James Salmon said that “while the DRBA understands and acknowledges community concerns regarding Avelo’s activities at other airports, those activities are outside the scope of the DRBA’s authority.”
They sure have the authority to decide whether or not Avelo and other entities will receive handouts from the DRBA. Salmon’s swimming upstream on that one. However, there’s a second, more sinister, deal that has the DRBA salivating:
The proposed legislation could prevent or eliminate incentives on a possible lease agreement between DRBA and Daedalus Aviation Group at the Wilmington Airport.
Last month, DHS paid Virginia-based Daedalus nearly $140 million to buy six Boeing 737s to use in deportation flights. Top company officials also head a separate company that has a nearly $1 billion contract to support “self deportations.” Daedalus did not respond to a request for comment.
Gorman said the bills are needed because Delawareans should know about companies operating inside the state that may be profiting off of the deportation of people without legal documentation who have been denied due process.
“[The resolution] asks DRBA to review the existing contracts, apply greater scrutiny to future agreements involving companies that conduct ICE deportation flights,” Gorman said. “And basically says that if public money is being used, the public deserves transparency and accountability about where those dollars are going.”
Members of the Delaware Stop Avelo Coalition said they’re concerned the DRBA is trying to hide a possible deal with Daedalus Aviation because of its work helping ICE deport people who don’t have the proper documents to be in the country.
The DRBA is a bi-state government agency that owns and operates several transportation hubs across New Jersey and Delaware. It is run by a board of commissioners appointed by each state’s governor and is funded by tolls, user fees, ticket sales and retail transactions.
The DRBA is also a cushy spot for the most connected-to-the-connected to land after being Delaware Way insiders. The very idea that they would be in league with the most amoral inhumane enablers of these deportations, while not surprising, is unconscionable. Work the bills, and shine a light on what’s going on under our noses. Because it’s about to happen:
The Delaware River and Bay Authority was expected to consider the Daedalus Aviation lease agreement at its Dec. 16 meeting.
Rodriguez said some activists showed up to the meeting to voice their concerns after seeing the lease agreement item on the agenda. She said the board quickly pulled it once the meeting started.
That’s because the bi-state agency is not subject to either states’ Freedom of Information laws, according to a 2020 Delaware FOIA legal opinion. DOJ lawyers said the agency adopted its own FOIA policy in 1990. Questions to Salmon about the legality of altering the December agenda went unanswered.
“DRBA contends that it is not subject to unilateral legislation, as relevant caselaw and the language of the compact itself do not permit any additional duties or obligations be undertaken by DRBA without the express authorization of both states,” the DOJ opinion reads.
That legal decision said DRBA could be subject to either of the states’ FOIA laws by passing legislation. If the states chose to do so, the bill must contain a direct statement that they intend to amend the compact under which DRBA was created to make those laws apply.
The next Delaware River and Bay Authority meeting is scheduled for Jan. 21. That’s Wednesday, folks. At least, the Senate should work the SCR.
Back tomorrow with Committee Day.
