Fukien American Association and More Than 20 Other Chinese Community Organizations Endorse Cy Vance

CONTACT:
Erin Duggan
Cy Vance for Manhattan DA
(646) 248-4370
eduggan@cyvanceforda.com [1]

The Fukien American Association, along with more than 20 other Chinese community organizations, today announced its support for Cy Vance, Democratic candidate for Manhattan District Attorney. Hugh Mo, former ADA and NYPD Deputy Commissioner, cited Vance’s Immigrant Protection Plan and commitments to safe housing as reasons for the endorsement.

“The Chinese community too often falls victim to fraud, housing discrimination, and unfair working conditions. Cy Vance has shown a rare commitment to helping immigrants and providing them with the full benefit of the law,” said Mo. “His Immigrant Protection Plan will help the DA’s Office to protect immigrants from fraud, aggressively prosecute hate crimes, and work with community organizations to provide education and outreach. He will listen to the needs of the Chinese community, and he will work tirelessly to keep us safe. We need a progressive voice in the DA’s Office, and Cy is the strongest candidate in this race.”

“Just three weeks ago, Robert Morgenthau announced the indictment of two individuals who made a career out of defrauding Chinese immigrants in Manhattan,” said Vance. “This is only the most recent retelling of a shameful tale. The immigrant community, often unsure of its rights and wary of law enforcement, deserves to be protected by the DA’s Office. I will aggressively prosecute fraud and hate crimes that target immigrants, but I will also be proactive: I will work with schools and community organizations to educate immigrants and prevent crimes before they occur.”

The Fukien American Association, an umbrella group for Fukienese community organizations, is the largest of the organizations endorsing Vance this afternoon. The largest Chinese fraternal organization in America, it has roughly 20,000 members. The group will commit time, and resources to get Cy Vance elected as District Attorney.

Kenneth Cheng, President of the Fukien American Association, said: “It is vital for the Chinese community that we have a DA who understands our problems and will work with us to solve them. That is why we are uniting behind Cy Vance. We will support him not only in voice, but also in means. We will reach out to our members, make phone calls, and make sure that everyone in the Chinese community understands that Cy Vance is the right choice for Manhattan DA.”

These organizations are the most recent of many community groups, progressive organizations, and political leaders to endorse Vance. Vance has been endorsed by the New York Times and the Daily News, current District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, U.S. Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, State Senator Tom Duane, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, Council Member Alan Gerson, former Mayor David Dinkins, Caroline Kennedy, Gloria Steinem, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former Comptroller H. Carl McCall, the UFT, Teamsters Local 237, RWDSU, The Sergeants Benevolent Association, former U.S. Attorneys Robert Fiske and Zachary Carter, the founders of the Innocence Project and the founder of the Doe Fund, and many more. He is also supported by more than 100 former ADA’s – men and women who 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.