On the recordMarch 20, 2017
It is with great honor that I rise today to pay tribute to a community leader, a pioneer, and a humanitarian. Mr. Antonio C. Martinez was one of the first Dominican-American members of the New York State Bar. He was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, in 1926, and immigrated to the United States with his mother through Ellis Island. He passed away on December 16, 1999, leaving behind a great legacy. Antonio attended Hunter College in Manhattan and graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1956. And when the call to duty came during World War II, Antonio selflessly enlisted in the U.S. Army and served honorably in the Pacific theater. Antonio dedicated his 43 years of legal career to immigration, assisting thousands of families through the process of legally entering the United States. His efforts and the cases he argued helped improve the law. I am privileged to speak from my heart about Antonio's great work in the legal field, because my family and I were fortunate enough to have Antonio represent us when we needed to navigate the immigration system here in the United States. Antonio's dedication to our legal system played an important role. I am proud to say that, as the first Dominican-American Congressman, my family and I are very proud of the work he did. Today, his professional legacy lives on. His son is here in the gallery. I am happy to recognize Antonio's work of many years. ____________________
