CONTACT:
Erin Duggan
Cy Vance for Manhattan DA
(646) 248-4370
eduggan@cyvanceforda.com
Linares, First Dominican-American Elected Official in the U.S.,
Praises Vance’s Plan for Washington Heights Office
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Guillermo Linares, former Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs of the City of New York, today announced his endorsement of Cy Vance for Manhattan District Attorney. Linares, the country’s first Dominican-American elected official, represented Washington Heights, Inwood and Marble Hill on the City Council in the 1990s and is a prominent advocate for progressive issues, including immigrants’ rights. He praised Vance’s commitment to fairness in the criminal justice system and his plan for a Washington Heights Office.
“Cy Vance has laid out a visionary, progressive plan for how he will prevent crime and keep us safe, while at the same time establishing a culture of fairness and always seeking justice,” Linares said. “A DA’s office in Washington Heights is a great idea that shows Cy’s commitment to serving all of Manhattan ’s neighborhoods. The office will allow community members to develop a close relationship with the DA’s office, so that they can go there to get resources and help in reporting crimes, including domestic violence. Cy will work to protect immigrants through intensive outreach and education efforts, so that immigrants know they can report the crimes they are often victims of, like unfair wage practices. It’s all part of Cy’s community-based justice model, which will bring prosecutors closer to the communities they serve, so they can spot trends and stop crime before it starts. I’m proud to endorse Cy Vance today. When he is elected, the immigrant community will have a friend in the Manhattan DA’s office.”
“Guillermo is a dedicated public servant, and his endorsement today is so meaningful to me because of the values he represents. He stands for equal rights and justice for all – the cornerstones of my vision for the DA’s office. My plan is simple: I will keep us safe and be fair,” said Vance. “But I also have specific ideas about how to do that in the communities that are most affected by the criminal justice process, like Washington Heights. The prosecutors in my office will take an active role in preventing crime by working with community organizations, developing relationships with leaders and engaging with the community. I am honored to have Guillermo’s support, and look forward to an ongoing discussion about the issues most important to our communities.”
Linares was first elected to the New York City Council in 1991. In 1998 he was elected Co-President of the Black and Hispanic Caucus of the New York City Council. From 1993 to 1999, he served as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). He was appointed Chair of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans in 1999.
Linares joins a strong and diverse coalition of supporters of Cy Vance’s campaign for DA. In the last month Vance has been endorsed by the New York Times, the Daily News, the New York Post, the Amsterdam News, U.S. Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, Borough President Scott Stringer, State Senator Tom Duane, Councilmember Jessica Lappin, UFT, RWDSU, Tenants PAC, the League of Young Voters PAC and the Innocence Project Co-Founders Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld. Earlier this summer Vance was endorsed by current District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, former Mayor David Dinkins, Caroline Kennedy, Gloria Steinem, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, Council Member Alan Gerson, former Comptroller H. Carl McCall, Teamsters Local 237, The Sergeants Benevolent Association, former U.S. Attorneys Robert Fiske and Zachary Carter, the Doe Fund founder George McDonald, and many more. He is also supported by more than 175 former ADA’s – many of whom have worked with all three candidates and know what it takes to be an exemplary District Attorney.
Vance’s Immigrant Protection Plan Includes:
- Immigrant Affairs Unit. The existing Immigrant Affairs Program will be elevated to full unit status within the Special Prosecutions Bureau of the District Attorney’s Office.
- Increased Resources. Resources will be doubled, with specially-trained Assistant District Attorneys and new immigrant-assistance coordinators assigned to the unit.
- Community Based Justice. Throughout the county, prosecutors will be assigned to specific geographic areas. This will allow prosecutors in immigrant communities to better understand the unique challenges of each area, build relationships, and develop solutions based on the needs of each community.
- Education. Current pilot programs for public education in the schools and special seminars on immigrant rights and fraud prevention will become formal parts of the unit’s mandate.
- U Visa Expansion. Vance will support the expanded use of U visas to victims of fraud. This will make our communities safer by encouraging victims of crimes to cooperate with investigations.
- Issued to victims of certain crimes who work with enforcement agencies, U Visas provide these immigrants with authorized stays and employment authorization. In return, they will help us more effectively investigate crimes.
- Information. The unit will work with leading members of immigrant communities to inform immigrants of their rights, the programs provided by the DA’s office, and the dangers of immigrant-directed crime. This information will include:
- Reminders that the DA’s office has a standing policy of not sharing information provided by victims and witnesses to immigration officials.
- Public service ads warning of the dangers of fraud and the legal rights of immigrants. When it comes to fraud, a more informed city is a safer city.
- Prosecuting Hate Crimes. The Immigrant Affairs Unit will work together with Vance’s proposed Hate Crimes Unit to prosecute those who target immigrants for their race or ethnicity.
