Undocumented crime victim deserves equal treatment
The State of New Jersey vs. Felix Vindas.
This document exists as a living, breathing acceptance of a plea to be heard by undocumented resident, Jorge Cordero.
In this case, as in every other incident that involves attacks on people without papers, undocumented does not mean without human rights.
Undocumented does not mean slave. Undocumented does not mean that police disregard a complaint that may mean that Cordero gets deported to Costa Rica.
This alleged Cordero assault by his boss mess, includes the fact that Vindas, also from Costa Rica, treated his fellow countryman like a piece of crap.
The love of money trumps everything, family, friend and brother. Sure, it’s headed to the courts but my heart believes every word Cordero spoke.
Cordero alleged that Vindas assaulted him on Sunday, October 8, outside the Anchor Bar & Grill on New York Ave.
His eye socket remains bloody red and skin around his eye black and blue almost two weeks after the attack.
Vindas owns the Anchor Bar & Grill which allegedly employs Trenton police for off-duty security jobs. If true, this should disqualify them as investigators of this incident.
If Vindas pays police then police should be the last people delivering a determination about his alleged assault of Cordero.
The city has asked victims to step forward and identify themselves, which places them in jeopardy. Cordero has outed himself which means this case deserves police attention.
One wonders if police interviewed a disc jockey who worked that night, one who rescued Cordero; if police spoke with a Cordero co-worker; if surveillance camera videotape captured the alleged assault.
The victim claimed to have worked six days a week for the past 15 months of employment. Cordero said he’s worked seven days per week for the past five or six weeks, underscoring advantages employers can take by hiring undocumented employees.
Cordero said he worked 119 hours and received $700 during his last week of employment. He alleges Vindas attacked him after he quit on the night in question.
By the way, Cordero would have earned $5.88 per hour for his last week of employment.
The United States government should be all over Vindas as an employer who knowingly hired and abused an undocumented employee.
As our country continues this deplorable legacy of inaction on immigration reform, undocumented people are placed in peril.
Cordero said he needed a job and money, plus, he feared Vindas would report him to immigration officials should he voice a complaint.
That all changed on October 11 when Cordero sought medical attention and a nurse convinced him to report the incident to police.
The State of New Jersey will hear the complaint against Vindas in November as Cordero seeks justice.
That’s not hearsay, comments from an anonymous source or information leaked to benefit an attorney’s case.
The State of New Jersey vs. Felix Vindas offers some power for Cordero.
Win or lose, Cordero gets his day in court.
L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Reach him at laparker@trentonian.com. Follow him on Twitter@ laparker6.