Delaware

Amid visa revocations, students call on University of Delaware to resist Trump

Published

8 months ago

April 23, 2025

Amid visa revocations, students call on University of Delaware to resist Trump

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Chants of “We will not put up with ICE” and “We stand with international students” filled a campus courtyard last week at the University of Delaware.

Some 200 students had gathered to protest the Trump administration’s revocation of eight UD-sponsored visas for students to study there or work in the United States, and called on Delaware’s flagship university to do more to protect its 2,200 international students.

Three of those at UD who had their visas or legal status terminated are graduate students, and five were doing post-grad work, according to an alert the university provided April 10. The notice came as the Department of Homeland Security under President Donald Trump began revoking visas at campuses in the region and across America — a number that has since surpassed 1,000.

Dennis Assanis, UD’s president, and other school leaders assured the campus community in the alert that the Newark-based school “had no advance notice of or involvement with these decisions by the federal government.” Assanis stressed that he knew of no student “being arrested or detained” and that UD officials were not aware “of a federal law enforcement presence on our campus related to these matters.”

The school is also providing information on its website to answer questions from concerned students and employees.

Citing news reports from around the nation, the website says that federal actions at UD could be “occurring as a result of past law enforcement issues, visa infractions or failure to maintain immigration status, and protest activities.”

UD is also offering its international students and workers a “free 15-minute, one-on-one consultation with immigration attorneys,” the website says.

The students who gathered outside Old College Hall off Newark’s Main Street for some 90 minutes last Wednesday called out both the Trump administration and the school’s leadership. Some faculty members attended but did not address the crowd.

Nora Lucas, a Kansas native working on her doctorate in geography at UD, participated as a member of the university’s Graduate Student Mutual Aid group.

“These status terminations just kind of came out of nowhere and then we’ve just been working ever since to try to get resources out to people,” Lucas told WHYY News. “But it’s definitely been shocking and it’s pretty terrifying for international students, especially in the beginning.”

State Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton spoke during the demonstration and wants her alma mater’s leaders to resist Trump. (Courtesy of Emma Abrams)

The protesters decried the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, yelling that they didn’t want so-called ICE agents on campus. They complained that Secretary of State Marco Rubio “brags about deporting students for exercising their First Amendment rights.”

Some held signs railing against deportations, visa revocations and even the arrest of protesters at other campuses. One placard waved by a young man proclaimed: “My classmate isn’t the threat. ICE is.”

UD’s website informed students, however, that immigration enforcement agents are not required to notify university officials if they go to public areas such as its grounds, library or student centers, which are places anyone can enter.

But to enter private areas such as dormitories, ICE agents must have a warrant signed by a judge and an arrest warrant if they plan to detain someone, the school said.

UD also linked to a webpage from the Delaware Attorney General’s Office that outlines the rights people have if approached by ICE agents.

But Emma Abrams, co-chair of UD’s Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter, which helped organize the rally, called on the school to be a more strident defender of its student body.

“We believe deeply that these visa revocations as they are happening currently are illegal and the university should not be complying with illegal visa revocations,” said Abrams, a junior from Charleston, South Carolina, who is majoring in environmental and natural resource economics.

Emma Abrams, co-chair of UD’s Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter (Courtesy of Emma Abrams)

Abrams said her group has tried to meet with UD’s Board of Trustees, which includes Assanis, to discuss the issues, but essentially was ignored — a response she said is typical.

“They really don’t interact at all, day to day,” Abrams said.

Assanis would not speak with WHYY News about the revocations or the students’ concerns, but the school shared its notice to the campus community, including the webpage with questions and answers, and a statement issued after the demonstration.

UD “takes very seriously all matters pertaining to the wellbeing and safety of our international students and scholars,” the statement said. Officials “will continue to support them while remaining in compliance with all applicable laws … and providing them with necessary support resources, including access to various university services and outside immigration legal counsel.”

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Delaware

How much snow will we get? Delaware under winter weather advisory

Published

5 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

How much snow will we get? Delaware under winter weather advisory

Delaware is under a winter weather advisory for the weekend, with snow and bitterly cold conditions expected.
Snowfall of 1 to 5 inches is possible across the region, with higher amounts of up to 6 inches in New Castle County.
The snow is expected to begin Saturday night and continue through mid-morning on Sunday.
Bitterly cold temperatures and low windchills will follow the snow, lasting through early next week.

Gas the snowblowers and get those shovels out because snowfall is headed for Delaware.

Snow is forecast for this weekend with bitterly cold conditions then settling in through early next week.

On Saturday, Dec. 13, the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey, placed all of Delaware under a winter weather advisory and the Delaware Bay under a gale warning.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia and areas surrounding the city are under a winter storm warning.

Here’s a look at what to expect with the Delaware weather forecast for Saturday, Dec. 13, through Sunday, Dec. 14.

Delaware weather radar

When will it snow?

A period of snow is expected the night of Dec. 13 through mid-morning Dec. 14, according to the National Weather Service.

This may start as some light rain or a rain/snow mix south and east of I-95 before quickly changing to all snow. Snowfall intensity may increase for a time early in the morning on Dec. 14.

About 1 to 5 inches of snow across the region is possible. While the location of where a zone of higher amounts can occur is less certain, the greatest chances for this is mostly across the I-95 corridor, the weather service said.

The snow will begin falling around 11 p.m. in Wilmington while snowfall will begin in the central portion of New Castle County by midnight and the southern part of the county by 1 a.m., according to the NWS.

The northern part of Kent County can expect snow to start falling around 2 a.m. and areas around Dover by 3 a.m.

Snow will begin in the southern part of Kent County and northern portion of Sussex County around 4 a.m.

Most of Sussex County can expect snow at 5 a.m. while the southern part of the county will see snowfall by 6 a.m. Areas around Rehoboth Beach can expect snow by 7 a.m.

How much will it snow?

That will depend where you are in Delaware.

A total of 1 to 5 inches of snow across the whole area. There could be a zone of 5-plus inches near I-95 into southern New Jersey and northern Delmarva, where snowfall rates near 1 inch per hour are also possible, according to the NWS.

Snowfall intensity may increase for a time early Sunday morning, forecasters said.

Most parts of New Castle County can expect up to 4 to 6 inches, while Kent County could see up to 1 to 2 inches in some areas. Sussex County should expect at least an inch, the NWS said.

Delaware snow forecast

Here’s an AccuWeather town-by-town snow forecast for this weekend in Delaware:

New Castle County

Middletown: 3 to 6 inches
New Castle: 4 to 6 inches
Newark: 4 to 6 inches
Pike Creek: 4 to 6 inches
Wilmington: 3 to 6 inches

Kent County

Dover: 2 to 4 inches
Felton: 2 to 4 inches
Harrington: 2 to 4 inches
Milford (In Kent and Sussex counties): 2 to 4 inches

Sussex County

Georgetown: 1 to 3 inches
Millsboro: 1 to 3 inches
Rehoboth Beach: 1 to 3 inches
Seaford: 1 to 3 inches

Snow impacts

Here are some of the likely impacts of the weekend weather, according to the NWS:

Snow-covered roads and slippery conditions possible the night of Dec. 13 and the morning of Dec. 14.
Rain to snow could reduce the snow totals some. In addition, any pre-treating of surfaces would get initially washed away on the night of Dec. 13.
Hypothermia or frostbite could occur with prolonged exposure and lack of proper clothing. Some impacts to infrastructure are possible the night of Dec. 14 through Dec. 16.

Windchills reach single digits, gale warning

When you’re outside shoveling, make sure to bundle up because it’s going to be bitterly cold Dec. 14 into Dec. 16.

Bitterly cold conditions will arrive Dec. 14 and continuing through early next week with the coldest time frame the night of Dec. 14 through the night of Dec. 15. Air temperatures on Dec. 16 stay below freezing across the region.

By Sunday night, the windchill will make it feel like 6 degrees in Wilmington, 4 degrees in Dover, and 5 degrees in Rehoboth Beach.

Many areas will not get above freezing from Sunday through Tuesday until a warming trend begins Wednesday, Dec. 17.

Peak gusts of 25 to 40 mph will be present Sunday into Sunday night which will result in very low windchill values.

Areas of blowing snow are possible, which may result in roads becoming snow-covered again and reduced visibility at times, according to the NWS.

Wind gusts between 35 to 40 knots are probable on the Delaware Bay and the New Jersey and Delaware Atlantic coastal waters along with hazardous seas. Areas of freezing spray are possible the night of Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.

How do I stay safe in the snow?

It is strongly recommended that you stay at home when it snows.

But if you absolutely need to drive, make sure you bear in mind the following safety tips:

Drive slowly. Snow and ice can decrease traction on the road, so be sure to reduce your speed.
Avoid using cruise control.
Increase following distances from the usual two seconds to roughly five to six seconds, as it’ll take longer for you to come to a stop on snowy roadways.
Make sure you have at least a half a tank of gas in your car.
Make sure you have an emergency driving kit in your vehicle. Items should include blankets or sleeping bags, extra warm clothing, first-aid supplies, drinking water and shelf-stable food items like protein or energy bars and trail mix.

If there’s a chance you’ll have to shovel your driveway or walkway this weekend, make sure you pay attention to the latest weather forecast, wear appropriate clothing and boots, and drink lots of water.

Make sure you also pace yourself as you’re shoveling. Check if you feel any pain or soreness and have your phone close by in case of an emergency.

What should I do to keep warm?

With winter fast approaching, residents are recommended to take the necessary steps to stay safe as the weather turns cold.

This includes making sure your homes “can be safely heated” and you always have crucial items on hand in case of an emergency, including nonperishable and pet foods, water and medicine.

Delawareans are also encouraged to have a driving kit in their car this winter.

Items should include blankets or sleeping bags, extra warm clothing, first-aid supplies, drinking water and shelf-stable food items like protein or energy bars and trail mix.

Olivia Montes contributed to this story.

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Delaware

Search Warrants in Dover Lead to Arrests for Drug and Gun Offenses – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware

Published

17 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Search Warrants in Dover Lead to Arrests for Drug and Gun Offenses – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware

Date Posted: Saturday, December 13th, 2025

The Delaware State Police have arrested 39-year-old Neal Barnes, 52-year-old Anthony James, and 51-year-old Kevin Walker, all from Dover, Delaware, for felony drug and gun charges following three search warrants in Dover.

On December 11, 2025, members of the Kent County Drug Unit executed search warrants at three residences on the 60, 70, and 100 blocks of Vanessa Drive in Dover. The search warrants were obtained following an investigation of Neal Barnes, Anthony James, and Kevin Walker for the distribution of illegal narcotics from their residences. During the search warrants, all three suspects were detained inside their respective homes without incident, and a child was present in Walker’s residence.

During a search of Barnes’ residence, detectives found the following items:

Approximately 2.76 grams of cocaine
Approximately 99.76 grams of crack cocaine
9mm handgun and ammunition
.38 caliber handgun and ammunition
Digital scales
Drug paraphernalia

During a search of James’ residence, detectives found the following items:

Approximately 19.88 grams of crack cocaine
Approximately 52.59 grams of cocaine
Drug paraphernalia
$2,472 in suspected drug proceeds

During a search of Walker’s residence, detectives found the following items:

Approximately .69 grams of heroin
Approximately .35 grams of methamphetamine
Approximately 11.77 grams of crack cocaine
Approximately 31 ecstasy pills
Approximately 14 acetaminophen and oxycodone hydrochloride pills
Approximately 21 buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual films

Barnes was arrested and taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $57,000 cash bond.

Neal Barnes

Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony)
Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony)
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Felony)
Possession of a Firearm/Destructive Weapon if Previously Convicted of a Violent Felony (Felony) – 3 counts
Possession of a Controlled or Counterfeit Substance except Human Growth Hormone without a Prescription
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

James was arrested and taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $146,000 cash bond.

Anthony James

Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony)
Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony)
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Tier 2 (Felony)
Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 2 (Felony)
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Walker was arrested and taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $39,500 secured bond.

Kevin walker

Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Tier 2 (Felony) – 2 counts
Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 2 (Felony) – 2 counts
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (Felony) – 2 counts
Possession of a Controlled or Counterfeit Substance except Human Growth Hormone without a Prescription – 5 counts
Endangering the Welfare of a Child by Committing a Drug Offense with a Child in the Dwelling

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Disclaimer: Any individual charged in this release is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Delaware

PennDOT, hardware stores prepare for first snow of season in Delaware Valley

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

PennDOT, hardware stores prepare for first snow of season in Delaware Valley

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Crews and customers across the Delaware Valley are gearing up for the region’s first accumulating snowfall of the season, expected late Saturday into Sunday morning.

PennDOT says it has more than 100,000 tons of salt ready and plans to deploy over 400 trucks across the region for this event.

Road crews began brining operations Friday, which will continue through the weekend with plowing on Sunday.

READ MORE | Accuweather Alert: Light snow to blanket the region Saturday night into Sunday morning

“Maybe 1 to 3, maybe a little bit more depending on how the storm tracks,” said Brad Rudolph of PennDOT.

He added that timing is key with the snow beginning to fall on Saturday night, while many may be out and about, and with thousands expected to travel to Lincoln Financial Field Sunday for the Eagles game against the Raiders.

Preps underway for first snow of the season in Delaware Valley

“People are going to travel, they’re going to need to take it slow. We’re going to push back snow from travel lanes, we’ll make the roads passable. They may not be completely clear of snow and ice, something to consider,” Rudolph said. “We expect this storm to push out relatively early Sunday, well before that Eagles game, but we still might have some cleaning up to do. We’ll be working long after this snow is done.”

At Stanley’s Hardware in Roxborough, workers spent Friday unpacking boxes and moving thousands of pounds of salt and other supplies to fill commercial and individual orders.

“Our aisle is filled right now. We have tons of skids of rock salt, ice melter, shovels,” said Joe Jaconski of Stanley’s Hardware.

Customers were already stocking up.

“We have food, we have shovels, just had to get some salt just to make sure we’re keeping the sidewalks nice and safe for everyone,” said Matt Skomsky of Roxborough.

Customers were steady at Stanley’s Friday, and business is expected to pick up through the weekend, but managers say don’t wait to get ready.

“I recommend just being ahead of it. Try to beat the storm because when the storm comes, it gets very busy in here-the lines wrapped around,” Jaconski said.

PennDOT urges drivers to keep their distance from plow trucks and check the forecast before heading out.

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