The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Delaware Public Media Corporation, Artisans’ Bank and their officers and employees.
Money and Politics in Delaware: July 25, 2026
Table of Contents
Part 1: Federal Overreach and Downstate TPS Cliff with Rick Hogan
Host Dace Blaskovitz sits down with immigration attorney Rick Hogan (Hogan & Vandenberg) to analyze federal enforcement regulations and a looming economic crisis in Sussex County.
Hardcore middle-of-the-road politics: Hogan reiterates that immigration must first be managed as an economic driver. He criticizes Congress for more than 30 years of inaction and points out that treating immigration solely for security reasons – rather than as a workforce development – hurts both the national and local economies.
Federal subpoenas for state employment data: Hogan addresses the federal administration’s efforts to require state employment and voter registrations. While he asserts that states have sovereign authority over their records, he predicts that federal agencies will gain access, uncover isolated administrative errors, and use them to politically chastise local governments.
The Downstate Haitian TPS Cliff: Hogan warns urgently about the abolished Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. As 4,000 to 5,000 Haitian workers in the state of Delaware – mostly employed in poultry processing plants and elder care facilities – lose their work permits, local communities are facing a severe economic burden. As Haiti remains under a Level 4: Do Not Travel warning due to gang violence, workers are unable to return, leaving local landlords, employers and government taxpayers responsible for the consequences.
Deportation indicators compared to local families: Hogan discusses how rigid arrest quotas force ICE agents to detain long-term, non-criminal residents — such as the recent arrest of a 25-year-old Delaware resident at a Wawa — which harms families, local businesses and community trust.
Part 2: Delaware’s Revolutionary War Legacy with John Sweeney
Journalist and historian John Sweeney returns to discuss the celebratory operations at Dover Air Force Base and highlight the history of the Delaware Continentals in advance of America’s 250th anniversary.
Dover Air Force Base Mortuary: Sweeney outlines the history of the Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs and explains how fallen service members are brought back through dignified remembrance. He notes that these transfers were released in 2009, drawing a contrast between modern individualized honors and the mass returns of World War II.
The legendary Delaware continentals: As the nation approaches its 500th anniversary, Sweeney describes the exploits of the Delaware Blues. Starting with 550 men under Colonel John Haslet at the Battle of Long Island in 1776, the regiment fought in 33 major battles and was reduced to fewer than 100 soldiers by the Battle of Eutaw Springs in 1781.
Forgotten First State Patriots:
- Colonel John Haslet: An Irish-born minister and physician who organized the first regiment in Delaware and was killed at the Battle of Princeton.
- Captain Robert Kirkwood: A Newark Academy graduate who fought in 33 battles, survived multiple wounds, and was ultimately killed on the Wabash during the Northwest Indian War.
- Captain Thomas Holland: A former British officer who trained the Delaware Blues into an elite fighting unit before being fatally wounded in Germantown.
- Sergeant Major William Seymour: The diarist whose detailed diary preserved the military records of the southern campaign.
Part 3: Concierge Health Navigation & Functional Medicine with Chris Hover
In the final segment, Blaskovitz speaks with Chris Hover, PA-C, founder of Plexus Precision Health, to discuss emerging trends in direct-to-consumer telehealth and preventive wellness.
Upstream precaution: Hover explains his transition from physical medicine and pain management to functional medicine, focusing on identifying metabolic and hormonal declines before they manifest into chronic diagnoses.
Management of GLP-1s and peptide therapy: Hover warns against uncontrolled online weight loss platforms. He emphasizes that rapid weight loss from GLP-1 receptor agonists without proper nutritional monitoring, strength training, and an exit strategy can lead to severe muscle loss.
Hormone optimization: Hover addresses testosterone decline in younger men and hormone replacement therapies for perimenopausal and menopausal women, highlighting the limitations of standard annual blood tests and the benefits of comprehensive, out-of-pocket concierge models that bypass insurance restrictions.
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