Governor Matt Meyer Launches Office of New Americans

Rony Baltazar-Lopez chosen as the inaugural director of the office

WILMINGTON - Today, Governor Matt Meyer announced the launch of the Delaware Office of New Americans. Housed within the Department of State, this office will provide dedicated support to the immigrant community, offering citizenship assistance, coordinating with partner organizations, and ensuring that our newest neighbors have access to language support, workforce development, and civic-engagement resources.

"When immigrants arrive in Delaware, they don't just add to our population-they strengthen our neighborhoods, enrich our culture, and build businesses that benefit all Delawareans," Governor Matt Meyer said. "The Office of New Americans will be responsible for ensuring every immigrant has the support they need to succeed in our state, and I'm thrilled to have selected Rony Baltazar-Lopez as its inaugural director, who I know will lead this office with integrity, empathy, and efficiency."

Rony Baltazar-Lopez is the former Director of Policy and Communications at the Department of State and will bring both lived experiences and policy insights to the role of Director of the Office of New Americans. His first day as Director was Monday, November 3, 2025.

"As the son of immigrants, I am deeply honored to lead the establishment of the Office of New Americans," Baltazar-Lopez said. "Immigrants are vital to the strength of our economy, the richness of our culture, and the fabric of our communities. It's time we fully recognize and support their contributions. This new office will ensure that immigrants have access to the resources, opportunities, and tools-such as workforce development and language access-needed to successfully build their lives in Delaware and across the United States."

Nearly half of all U.S. states have an Office of New Americans or a similar entity that assists new Americans. The Office will soon host a statewide listening tour to understand the needs of Delaware's immigrant community, as well as organizations that currently support them. The Office will also work in coordination with the Delaware Department of Justice's Office of Immigration Assistance, which helps immigrants with citizenship assistance.

In Delaware, about 11.5 percent of the population, nearly 118,000 Delawareans, are immigrants. About 79,000 of them are in Delaware's workforce, including about 6,900 who are entrepreneurs. Immigrants contribute $1.4 billion to Delaware's economy annually.

With the launch of the Office of New Americans, Delaware commits to ensuring that all residents-regardless of country of origin-are empowered to fully participate, contribute, and thrive as neighbors, workers, business owners, and community members.

ABOUT RONY BALTAZAR-LOPEZ

Director of the Office of New Americans, Rony Baltazar-Lopez, most recently served as the Director of Policy and Communications for the Delaware Department of State for the past 5 years. Rony was appointed to the Delaware Hispanic Commission by Governor John Carney in 2020 and was elected as Vice Chair in 2021. He currently serves as the youngest member of the Commission.

Before joining the Delaware Department of State, he worked as a communications staffer for the Delaware Attorney General's Office. He began his civil career in 2017 when he worked in Washington, D.C., in the United States Senate as a legislative staffer for then U.S. Senator Tom Carper, where he assisted with a portfolio focused on immigration, homeland security, and foreign affairs.

Baltazar-Lopez serves on numerous other boards, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Delaware, Delaware Center for Inland Bays, the City of Milford's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and the Educational Equity Council. He currently serves as the board president for La Red Health Center, a federally qualified health center in Sussex County. From 2019 through 2022, he also served on the Milford School Board of Education, including two years as vice president.

A native of Milford, Delaware, Rony holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Delaware.

For any questions, please email [email protected].