Below is the speech written and delivered by Atty. Felix Vinluan, an immigration lawyer criminally-indicted for representing the Sentosa 27++ nurses. The following speech was delivered by Vinluan on Martin Luther King Day, January 20th during an MLK rally and march against racism in Manhattan.
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Today, members of the Filipino-American community join the country in celebrating the life, the struggle, and the gains of our modern-day hero, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Today, the struggles being fought by the Filipino-Americans are no different from the ones that the African-Americans fought before and during the start of the civil rights movement.
Whereas before, there was segregation; today, there is discrimination—especially in the workplace. Whereas before, there was slavery; today there is human trafficking.
Discrimination, involuntary servitude, human trafficking--- these immoral and illegal acts victimize people of all nationalities and races. A group of Filipino immigrant healthcare workers, known as the Sentosa 27++, found themselves victims of discrimination and human trafficking. And when they decided to stand up for their rights, like what Rosa Parks did, they were threatened with deportation. Civil and administrative cases were filed against them. And worst of all, the unscrupulous owners of the facilities they found themselves working at used their political connections to have ten of them and their civil case lawyer criminally-indicted for allegedly endangering the lives of their patients.
Although the New York State Education Department had ruled that these immigrant healthcare workers did not abandon their patients, and although the New York State Department of Health had ruled that the patients were not put in danger when the healthcare workers exercised their right to resign—a protected activity under the federal labor law--- the criminal indictments still stand--- ALL because the District Attorney had received political campaign contribution from the influential lawyer of the facilities' owners.
Today, four decades after Dr. King, the struggle continues. We continue to fight for equality and justice, especially in the workplace and in the criminal justice system. Today, the Filipino-American walks with you, marches with you, and demands that the dream and vision of Dr. King not remain a dream but become a reality.
To end, on behalf of the Justice for the Sentosa 27++ campaign, may I invite everyone to join us in urging New York Governor Eliot Spitzer to appoint an independent special prosecutor so that the 10 nurses and their lawyer being maliciously prosecuted in Suffolk County would get a fair and objective trial. Please visit the website www.s27plus.com.
Thank you all, and long live the dream of Dr. King! Mabuhay!
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Please sign the petition to Gov. Elliot Spitzer to appoint independent Special Prosecutor to handle criminal cases filed against Filipino immigrant nurses and their lawyer.
